Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

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bethanyfarah
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Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by bethanyfarah »

Any thoughts on this caterpillar my friend sent me? I'm pretty sure it's a sphinx moth of some kind, but I don't think it's a manduca sexta or a hyles lineata. Looks like it has been parasitized by something though!
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by 58chevy »

Where was it found?
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by kevinkk »

It's a sphinx, without a better side shot, it's hard to tell, someone more familiar with southwestern species might pick it out easy, but it could be Hyles
sp, or Euproserpinus weisti, Lintneria separatus-
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by eurytides »

Hyles lineata
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by eurytides »

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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by mothman55 »

I was wondering if you carefully cut the top of those eggs attached to your larvae, if it might save the soon to be pupae from the parasite? I doubt the parasite eggs could be fully removed without killing the larvae. Its worth trying something as the parasite will surely kill the pupae.
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by eurytides »

The eggs can be removed. I have done it before. There is always a chance the eggs have hatched and are already inside the larva although they usually leave small entry wounds.
bethanyfarah
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by bethanyfarah »

Thanks for the responses! This is in southeast Arizona (sorry about that) I could see how this could be Hyles, but I was thrown off by how dark this one is. Maybe it's melanized because of the parasites?? Also personally I'd rather have the parasites than the caterpillar. Hyles lineata are a dime a dozen out here, I find the adults boring at best, and the nicest thing that can be said about the caterpillars is they eat less of the garden than a manduca. (Oh ok I guess they make good ambassador species too, gotta give them that. Still parasitic wasps are way cooler than any lepidoptera especially boring old hyles lineata)
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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by adamcotton »

Sphingid larvae usually turn black or brown before pupating. It was probably looking for a place to pupate (either in leaf litter or underground) when the photo was taken, since it was on the ground.

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Re: Sphinx moth caterpillar I think

Post by eurytides »

This is just one of the colour morphs. Check the link to see range of larval colours.
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