Anonymous
It would be best to put the caterpillar outside near a wooded area that is not where people might step on it.
It is about to pupate and the Imperial Moth differ from the other Giant silkworm moth caterpillars in that they pupate in earthen cells in the ground instead of cocoons above ground.
As seen in the caterpillar in the photo of this comment section when caterpillars are fully grown, they will be 4-5 inches or more long, then begin to shrink like an accordion in preparation to changing to pupae.
It is best to put the caterpillar outside because rearing them overwinter is very hard to do...Mother Nature knows the right conditions to successfully get the moth to hatch in the spring.
Thanks for checking on this.
If you are really truly interested in rearing insects, there are several sites on the internet to learn. But please do your research and talk to folks who do this alot. Here a great site of folks who are rearing all kinds of insects and would be glad to share their knowledge with others truly interested.
http://www.buglifecycle.com/?page_id=367
Beautiful Big Green Caterpillar by: Anonymous
I found it trying to crawl in the door threshold of the house. Does it make a cocoon like other smaller caterpillars and will it survive since it is fall in Texas. I still have it in an insect box with grass.
Imperial moth caterpillar by: Moni
Anonymous
They bite leaves only and are not poisonous to humans.
wow by: Anonymous
I found one these things,they are very strange to say the least, we need to know if the bite and are the posionus?
Imperial moth caterpillar by: Moni
Meria
WoW, what a great find! I am jealous! I have seen the adults but not the caterpillar.
Your photo is of the Imperial moth caterpillar.
This caterpillar feeds on leaves of Bald Cypress, basswood, birch, cedar, elm, hickory, Honeylocust, maple, oak, pine, Sassafras, Sweetgum, sycamore, walnut. Since you found it on grass and as it is getting late in the season it is probably heading to find a place in the soil to pupate for the winter.
Adult moths do not feed.
Here are some photos of the larva and moth so you can look for the moth next summer.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/4757/bgimage
