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large caterpillar with orange spike (white-lined sphinx moth caterpillar )

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white-lined sphinx moth caterpillar
by: Moni

L
Your photo is of a white-lined sphinx moth caterpillar. Caterpillars of this moth do vary greatly in color, but like most sphinx caterpillars they have a 'horn' or tail on the rear end.
Here are photos of the moth and range of caterpillar colors. http://bugguide.net/node/view/3071/bgimage

The moths do look a little like hummingbirds as they fly from flower to flower gathering nectar. The straw like mouthparts are long tubes for sucking up nectar...it is fun to see them do so. This particular sphinx moth does fly during the day as well as at night.

While the moths do feed on nectar the caterpillars feed on a wide variety of plants like purslane, primrose, and plants in the rose family. They are not considered a pest of any crop.
This insect is found all over North America, Central America as well as Eurasia and Africa.




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