Unknown Caterpillar - Ceratomia undulosa

Moved

… john and jane balaban, 26 September, 2009 - 4:34pm

Tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

The larva of a very common hawk moth. It looks a lot like the tomato hornworm (which I found all the time in my garden in PA) but on checking yours has seven diagonal lines (not 8) and a red "horn" (not black).

… Bill Ellis, 16 August, 2008 - 8:15am

A different sphinx moth, I think

Manduca sexta has a curved horn, and I've never seen one with this blue underside and red face. Not to mention the granular enlarged rear end (anal plate). Possibly Waved Sphinx (below)

What was it eating?

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 16 August, 2008 - 10:21am

I would definitely also guess

Ceratomia undulosa. I don't know what the larvae of C. hageni look like, but they are supposed to feed on Osage-orange, which is not a match here probably.

… Bobby Grizzard, 16 August, 2008 - 9:29pm

Im not sure what it was eatin

Im not sure what it was eating, but it was found on a tree hanging out over the river where I work. The leaves were similar in arrangement to hickory but more slender and jagged on the edges.

… DNewman, 16 August, 2008 - 11:07am

Your description could fit an ash, which would make sense

see guide. Did you get any shots showing more of the host plant, or a different angle on the caterpillar (face might help)?

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 16 August, 2008 - 11:11am

yes it was an ash tree, just

yes it was an ash tree, just not sure if it was a green or white ash.

… DNewman, 16 August, 2008 - 2:04pm

We agree that the anal plate and prolegs

with "conspicuous, raised black spotting" (Wagner pg 252) also say Ceratomia undulosa.

… john and jane balaban, 16 August, 2008 - 11:23am

The thing that puzzled me is the red face

But I think I do see a stripe - it's pinkish instead of the usual white, but Wagner mentions that there are reddened variations.

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 16 August, 2008 - 2:41pm

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… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 16 August, 2008 - 2:40pm