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Submitted by: Moni

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It is the spurge hawk moth caterpillar. Good job, Donalda!

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Submitted by: Donalda

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Although a close up of colour pattern is hard to see from the picture I would suggest that your caterpillar is a Spurge Hawk Moth Larva. In 1965, this caterpillar was introduced from Europe to help control the invasive exotic plant, the leafy spurge. Leafy spurge is a noxious long-lived weed on the Great Plains of the United States and the Prairie Provinces of Canada. New infestations are continuously occurring.However, the impact on the plant from the larval foliage feeding appears to be minimal. These moths can have variations in colour from yellowish to red in the strip down their back and in the spots on their sides.There appears to be a small redish horn (all hawk moths have one) on the tail in your picture. Pictures of Two Color Morphs have been posted on this page,both species from Saskatchewan,Canada. http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2008/07/29/leafy-spurge-hawkmoth-caterpillars-two-color-morphs/ Here are some good pictures of the adult and the larva (red phase) also. http://www.hellenot.com/data/images/1150184710magerwiesen.jpg perhaps Moni can enlarge on this.

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