Your insect is the rustic sphinx moth caterpillar they are common across the u s.
Rustic sphinx moth caterpillar poisonous.
Sphinx moths use a wide range of larval host plants including both woody and nonwoody species.
Cabbage white butterfly caterpillar.
Fringe tree chionanthus virginicus and jasmine jasminum species in the olive family oleaceae bushy matgrass lippia alba in the vervain family verbenaceae knockaway ehretia anacua in the borage family boraginaceae and bignonia species in the bignoniaceae.
The site has the option of viewing by individual states so you are able to.
It gets its name because it raises its body from the front just like the sphinx in egypt.
Manduca rustica the rustic sphinx is a moth in the sphingidae family figures 1 and 2.
The rich black and white speckled coloration of the rustic sphinx moth is contained by sharp short white dashes on the edges of its hind wings.
This striking mammoth sized moth is a member of the sphinx family.
Rustic sphinx moth caterpillar has a horn shaped sting on end but it is just for the show.
Each moth species has its own suite of suitable host plants for example some eat only members of the tobacco tomato potato family.
We disagree with your identification.
Hairy legs add to its charm.
The mottled coloration if looked at closely reveals a zigzag pattern crossing the body from left to.
They will eat a few leaves but there usually aren.
The insect has black and white markings in zig zag patterns.
And are not considered to be a pest insect worth managing.
The top of the forewing is a dark olive brown with lighter brown on the margin with a narrow tan band along the wingtip to the base and white streaks on the veins.
Sphinx moths are medium to large in size with thick bodies and wingspans of 5 inches or more.
We believe this is a rustic sphinx caterpillar manduca rustica.
Others must eat the leaves of rose family trees such as plum cherry and apple.
The best method for identifying both sphinx caterpillars and the adult moths we believe is to scan the images on bill oehlke s sphingidae of the americas website.
