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four inch orange caterpillar (Pandorus sphinx moth caterpillar)

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Pandorus Sphinx caterpillar
by: Moni

Dan
Follow the directions on this page to submit a photo

http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/insect-identification.html

I think i found one!
by: Dan

I found what I think is one of these in the top of a 80ftbit cottonwood tree that we cut down for the gas company. How can I send in a photo to be sure because it looks a lil different?
Pandorus sphinx moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Found in Minnesota
Please just leave it on the grape vines so it can finish its cycle. It will pupate in the soil when it is finished feeding and spend the winter there. Then next spring it will come out as a moth to repeat the cycle.
They are such cool beautiful caterpillars to find!
Found in Minnesota
by: Anonymous

I found one of these caterpillars as I was picking grapes in south central Minnesota. Not sure what to do with it, and not sure if it should be reported.
Sour Grapes
by: Cteph

I bought a grape ivy to create an arbour on my gazebo and fed three of these interesting chaps. My local hardware store thought they were a type of tomato worm. I live on the Canadian shield north of Kingston Ontario- first time I every met this type of caterpillar-
PANDORUS SPHINX MOTH CATERPILLAR
by: Moni

Chris
Perhaps there is a wooded or somewhat area nearby where there are wild grapes? Wild grapes as well as porcelain vine (Ampelopsis sp) and Virginia creeper that it eats grow in unmowed or old fence row areas. Would be great to move it there.

Not sure what plant the camphor plant is...must be a southern plant? It is not listed as a plant that this caterpillar eats. Perhaps you have a similar insect. Can you send us a photo of it?
Thanks
Chomping on camphor in Louisiana
by: Chris

I noticed that the beautiful camphor leaves were chewed up and going fast. Our culprit was quite visible with its bright orange self. I hate to kill it, but it is only 6 feet from our two newly planted grape vines. Suggestions?
Pandorus sphinx moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Anonymous
They are neat caterpillars, so move them to the big grapevine to protect and save your little one for planting.
Ate an entire small grape vine overnight!
by: Anonymous

I found 2 green and one orange sphinx moth caterpillars on a small (3 stems) potted grape vine awaiting planting. Last night it was perfectly healthy and after a major rainstorm last night there they were 3 caterpillars and hardly a leaf on the stems. I have a large grape vine about 20 feet away and after careful inspection I don't see any caterpillars - only Japanese Beetles.
Pandorus sphinx moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Virginia
As who ever anonymous is said it is a Pandorus Sphinx caterpillar and yes they come in several colors of not only orange and green but reddish and brownish. And yes the last instar or molted stage of the larva loses its tale and has an eye spot in its place. Sphinx larva in general are called the horntail larva since they have a tail.

This is a beautiful and spectacular larva...just found my first Pandorus larva last week also. They do eat grape leaves, porcelain vine (Ampelopsis sp) as well as Virginia creeper.
When you see these large larva moving like that at this time of year, they are on their way to find a place to pupate. They overwinter as pupa.
Pandorus sphinx moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Virginia
As who ever anonymous is said it is a Pandorus Sphinx caterpillar and yes they come in several colors of not only orange and green but reddish and brownish. And yes the last instar or molted stage of the larva loses its tale and has an eye spot in its place. Sphinx larva in general are called the horntail larva since they have a tail.

This is a beautiful and spectacular larva...just found my first Pandorus larva last week also. They do eat grape leaves, porcelain vine (Ampelopsis sp) as well as Virginia creeper.
When you see these large larva moving like that at this time of year, they are on their way to find a place to pupate. They overwinter as pupa.
Pandorus Sphinx
by: Anonymous

Eumorpha Pandorus sphinx moth larva, can be either green or orange, wears a horn on the end of the abdomen which is replaced by a button in the last instar. Feeds on Virginia Creeper. See Wikipedia entry for more photos.

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