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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Saturniidae) » Royal Moths (Ceratocampinae) » Citheronia » Regal Moth - Hodges#7706 (Citheronia regalis)
Photo#329547
huge caterpillar - Citheronia regalis
Copyright © 2009 fmac

huge caterpillar - Citheronia regalis
Westfield, Stokes County, North Carolina, USA
September 6, 2009
Size: over 4 inches
This is a huge fierce looking caterpillar feeding on a burning bush. I have over ten of them on the bush.
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by fmac on 6 September, 2009 - 4:12pm
Last updated 6 September, 2009 - 7:46pm

wow
I must have walked past hundreds of these plants in Hickory Horned Devil country, never ever thought to look for caterpillars on them, let alone a Hickory Horned Devil! This is a new record for the species (as far as I know), nice find and thanks for posting.
… Ryan St Laurent, 6 September, 2009 - 9:13pm login or register to post comments

 
Hickory Horned Devil
I had ten on the bush yesterday, as large as or larger than this one. Today I only can find two. No idea where the other eight went. Thanks for help identifying, I have never seen one before.


Jerry Holdsclaw
… fmac, 7 September, 2009 - 1:49pm login or register to post comments

 
no problem
The reason why you can't locate them anymore is probably because they crawled off the plant to search for a place to pupate, especially if there were some bigger than this one, which would be full grown.
… Ryan St Laurent, 7 September, 2009 - 9:21pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Abigail Parker, 6 September, 2009 - 7:46pm login or register to post comments

Neat
I'm not an expert, but it looks like this Regal Moth caterpillar to me:



.
… Dan Leeder, 6 September, 2009 - 4:30pm login or register to post comments

 
One insect, two names!
Beautiful adult - "What a regal-looking moth!"


Scary caterpillar - "Ick, that thing in the hickory tree has devil horns!"

Of course, you can't go wrong with Citheronia regalis, but that's quite a mouthful...
… Abigail Parker, 6 September, 2009 - 7:39pm login or register to post comments

Hickory Horned Devil
They're actually a threatened species, and a great find. They turn into a very pretty giant silk moth too. Best to leave them be.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/3559/bgimage
… MrILoveTheAnts, 6 September, 2009 - 4:30pm login or register to post comments

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