Spiked face caterpillar - Citheronia regalis

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Beatriz Moisset, 11 September, 2009 - 10:42am

This is a...

...Regal Moth caterpillar (Citheronia regalis). In the caterpillar stage it is also called a Hickory Horned Devil.

When it becomes a moth it will look like:

I still have two of these that I found on a persimmon tree and I am trying to raise them.

… Ron M., 7 September, 2009 - 3:55pm

Hickory horned devil

How big is the moth? Are the spikes dangerous - my wife (a teacher) wants to take it to school (Elementary)? Will it eat any leaves? Is it a native to the US? PS - My daughter has named it "Death - destroyer of hope and goodness,"

… marc scripps, 7 September, 2009 - 4:10pm

the moth really is regal, size included!

Wingspan is 9.5 to 15 centimeters - one of the largest moths in North America. The red-brown females are larger than the yellow males. Both sexes are beautiful!

… Abigail M. Parker, 7 September, 2009 - 5:15pm

"Death"

The spikes are not dangerous. You could take it to show kids but this particular larvae is looking for a place to pupate and wont be a caterpillar for much longer. It no longer needs to feed and needs a dark place to pupate, like a bucket of soil, a bucket of paper toweling etc. Yes it's native to the US, it's found in the East. Nice name by the way.

… Ryan, 7 September, 2009 - 4:23pm

native & threatened in some places

Definitely a "good" species, deserving protection, and it would be great to educate children about it! I've never seen one in all my years of wandering the woods looking for caterpillars.

… Abigail M. Parker, 7 September, 2009 - 5:10pm

I agree

Especially up in the Northeast, north of PA where it is usually considered extirpated.

… Ryan, 7 September, 2009 - 9:25pm

Freed to pupate

My wife took it to her class where it was a big hit with the whole school. Brought it home and released it into the leaf mulch pile in the woods. Any idea what time of year it will emerge - next spring i'm assuming?

… marc scripps, 10 September, 2009 - 3:29pm

accidental duplicate

… Abigail M. Parker, 7 September, 2009 - 5:09pm