cc124
The caterpillar turns into a moth that does not feed it only lives a few days.
orange (or black) caterpillar by: cc124
what type of butterfly? what food does it eat?
Salt marsh caterpillar by: Moni
Janie
If this caterpillar has a black head then it is a salt marsh caterpillar. They come in many colors.
These caterpillars feed in gardens, fields, meadows, roadsides, etc. They eat a wide variety of plants including garden plants, pigweed, mallow alfalfa, soybeans, etc. They are not considered a pest.
The larva are found wandering in search of food, but this time of year may be looking for a place to overwinter. Then in spring it will pupate and then turn into a white moth.
Here are Bugguide photos of this insect.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3242/bgimage
