What kind of caterpillar is this? - Phyllodesma americana

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (Lasiocampoidea) » Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (Lasiocampidae) » Lasiocampinae » Gastropachini » Phyllodesma » American Lappet Moth - Hodges#7687 (Phyllodesma americana)

Photo#634265

Copyright © 2012 drluecke

What kind of caterpillar is this? - Phyllodesma americana

Richardson, Dallas County, Texas, USA
April 26, 2012
Size: 2 inches

This caterpillar appeared on my window screen this afternoon around 2:00pm. I don't know if it fell out of the trees above (a live oak, a ligustrum, and a japanese maple) or if it crawled up from the bushes below (euonymus). My daughters and I captured it in our butterfly cage and would love to watch it pupate and become a butterfly or moth. We don't know what to feed it, so we put some leaves from each of those in the cage to see if it will eat anything. We also put a twig from the live oak so it can have a place to pupate. If we can identify it, we can have a better chance of knowing what to feed it.

Thanks for a great site!

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What kind of caterpillar is this? - Phyllodesma americana

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Contributed by drluecke on 26 April, 2012 - 10:51pm
Last updated 2 January, 2024 - 9:29am

Moved

Moved from Phyllodesma.

… john and jane balaban, 2 January, 2024 - 9:29am

Moved

Moved from Gastropachini.

… john and jane balaban, 14 November, 2018 - 4:55pm

Moved

Moved from Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths.

… john and jane balaban, 17 May, 2012 - 7:33pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 30 April, 2012 - 1:12pm

youre doing good on rearing

let it choose its food and they are easy to rear. its a lappet moth.
like this

… Edna Woodward, 26 April, 2012 - 11:11pm

Thanks for the quick ID.

I think you're absolutely right! Now that I know its name, I have found several other images that look just like it (including the ones you posted). Now my daughters and I can research this moth as it grows. We'll do our best to raise it to an adult and set it free. If we succeed, I'll post followup pics.

Thanks again for your help.

… drluecke, 27 April, 2012 - 9:52am

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