What is This?
Posted by Michael Chappelle on May 9, 2008
Q: My Grandson found this creepy-crawlie on a shrub.
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: Alabama
Habitat: suburban/yard
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A: What a great caterpillar! I'm quite sure this is one of the Sphinx or Hawk Moths (family Sphingidae, if you want to be technical) but I can't find exactly which one. These moths are strong fliers and are mostly active at night or dusk as they hover around flowers and sip nectar. Their caterpillars often have interesting patterns and eyespots, as does your animal. Many Hawk Moth caterpillars have a horn or spike on their tail (totally harmless) but I can't see one on your caterpillar. You might want to check out some Alabama moths on the web to see if you can nail this to an exact specis. Thanks so much for asking.
John Wiessinger ( May 10, 2008)