Pseudosphinx tetrio

[Brodybreaux25]

6yr old son made me so proud today. Playing and fishing in my back yard with his friends, came running back with 45+ of these!

Can someone double check my identification on these guys. Thinking they are Pseudosphinx tetrio. Found in Southeastern Louisiana swamp munching on White Spider lilies.

 

[Syreptyon]

Hmmm, they sure do look similar to P. tetrio, but when you really zoom in on their features I do see a couple of key differences. The yellow bands on P. tetrio don't seem to be broken up like the ones in your pictures. The colors are a little off, too, but that could be due to lighting or who knows what else. I think the biggest thing to me that suggests they may be a different species is the black eye spots yours have on their heads. All the P. tetrio I've seen have that distinct, solid orange coloration without interruption.

I'm no caterpillar expert, though! Could be a subspecies or just individual/population variation

 

[Multivitamins]

I think the titrio have bright orange stumpy feet your seem to have more of a dark color could just be lighting.

They look cool hopefully if they turn to moth you can get a positive I'd and harvest them regularly if they prove to be safe feeders.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

[SIZE=4][COLOR=rgb(122, 159, 91)]@Motherlode Chameleon[/COLOR][/SIZE] or [SIZE=4][COLOR=rgb(122, 159, 91)]@Andee[/COLOR][/SIZE] always set me straight. Thoughts?

 

[jamest0o0]

Just here to say I'm jealous of all your WC feeders

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Just here to say I'm jealous of all your WC feeders

You should be!

 

[Andee]

They are not pseudoshpinx tetrios. Colors are all wrong. Lemme get back to you with an id

 

[Peeps101]

6yr old son made me so proud today. Playing and fishing in my back yard with his friends, came running back with 45+ of these!

Can someone double check my identification on these guys. Thinking they are Pseudosphinx tetrio. Found in Southeastern Louisiana swamp munching on White Spider lilies.View attachment 225306View attachment 225307View attachment 225308View attachment 225309View attachment 225310View attachment 225311

To me they look like some kind of silkworm

 

[Andee]

Found it, you have a batch of convict caterpillars Xanthopastis Timais. They are known for feeding on host plants for spanish moss which spider lillies are one of them.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Found it, you have a batch of convict caterpillars Xanthopastis Timais. They are known for feeding on host plants for spanish moss which spider lillies are one of them.

Thanks Andee, came through as always! And now for my usual follow up question, any reason to think they are toxic?

 

[Andee]

Likely so their colors plus you found then snacking on white spider lilies and they eat the bulb itself along with leaves. The bulb is the most toxic part of the plant, considered toxic to immuno compromised adults, young children, and pets, tortoises and iguana included. I would avoid these little beauties sorry to say.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

They definitely have a “Dont f*ck with me” paint job. I’m assuming this would hold true after they morph into moths as well?

 

[Highway61]

According to Wikipedia, Xanthopastis Timais would be invasive to U.S. So hopefully they are Regnatrix?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthopastis_regnatrix ?

 

[Andee]

According to Wikipedia, Xanthopastis Timais would be invasive to U.S. So hopefully they are Regnatrix?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthopastis_regnatrix ?

Yes that is the correct one, it's a pink moth that looks like it has an afro. Moths definitely aren't my specialty XD.

 

[Andee]

They definitely have a “Dont f*ck with me” paint job. I’m assuming this would hold true after they morph into moths as well?

I am honestly not sure, monarchs hold onto their toxicity and these guys look highly toxic as adults. But it could be faking colors. If you can find a different food source for the caterpillars that is safe that will sustain them you could rear a captive colony that would be safe to feed off.

 

[Calypratus]

Better safe than sorry. I would avoid feeding them! I would personally keep them just to see what they would turn into though!

 

[Highway61]

Better safe than sorry. I would avoid feeding them! I would personally keep them just to see what they would turn into though!

Just what Andee said, pink moth with an afro, lol

 

[Calypratus]

Oh my! it looks so cool!

 

[Calypratus]

tbh I would probably pay good money to add one of those moths to my collection

 

[Multivitamins]

According to Wikipedia, Xanthopastis Timais would be invasive to U.S. So hopefully they are Regnatrix?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthopastis_regnatrix ?

Those moths are ridiculous looking