Caterpillar ID help please

Stepped outside around 10pm tonight and found a caterpillar eating my hoya and another eating penta leaves. Am assuming this is a woolly bear of sorts - but these don't seem as 'furry' as the others I've seen before. These seem to have more tufts of bristles rather than be fully furry if that makes sense. They are dark brown to black in appearance (not banded like the usual woolly bears) and have orange bands around each segment of the body. The thorasic legs, adbominal prolegs and anal prolegs and the spine bases are orange. It also has orange spiracles.

Not sure what moth they are but I have seen lots of those white speckled moths - Giant Leopard Moths I think they are called around the mercury vapor security lamp. These caterpillars stretch out to about 2.5 inches - so perhaps they are the larva of the Giant Leopard Moth (Ecpantheria scribonia).

Anyone concur?

~ Cat


This message was edited May 11, 2009 11:15 PM

another view

View of underside and feet. You can see how the rows of tufts or bristles are separated - not closely packed like the usual woolly bears.

~ Cat

This message was edited May 11, 2009 11:16 PM

I raised one similar to that last year and it was a Salt Marsh Moth.
Josephine,

In looking at my Caterpillars of North America book, I'd have to say it looks a lot like the giant Leopard Moth in the picture.

Here is a link with pics of the GLM. I think Melanie may be right.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/493/bgimage

This is one that looks like it has venomous spines. I have raised them before cautiously. :)

Thanks ya'll....am leaning towards Giant Leopard Moth as I've seen those moths around the brickwork of the house. :o) They are pretty moths but those buggers have voracious youngins!!

~ Cat

I have these guys too but they are eating my sunflower leaves and mexican flame vine.