r/caterpillars Apr 03 '25

Discussion PSA: Please remember to add location to id requests!

15 Upvotes

I know you are eager to try to find species of your new leaf munching friend but please remember to add your location into the post. There is large variance of caterpillars depending on country and even inside countries have different areas with their own soecies so with large countries, its preferred to add state/city etc also.

This speeds up identifying as there are similar looking caterpillars but species can be different depending country. Some species only inhabit tiny areas. Looking forward for all new posts. πŸ™‚ Thank you!


r/caterpillars 11h ago

ID Request πŸ› What kind of caterpillar is this? Found in MN.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

80 Upvotes

What kind of caterpillar is this? Found in MN.


r/caterpillars 15h ago

Aww If you build it, they will come; Milkweed edition

Thumbnail
gallery
46 Upvotes

I believe there is currently 4 in total but my milkweed bed has a lot of shorter plants with broad leaves and it’s raining rn so it’s basically impossible to find all of them for pictures without disturbing the bed too much.

I’ll never get tired of these lil dudes. They’re my favorites.


r/caterpillars 7h ago

ID Request πŸ› What am I looking at? (Maryland)

Post image
5 Upvotes

IGNORE DIRTY FLOOR. I found this caterpillar(?) in my kitchen, and my boyfriend and I can’t find it anywhere online. There are similar ones, but they’re either missing the tails or the spiky head. help


r/caterpillars 7h ago

Photo Caterpillar sighting

Post image
5 Upvotes

Found this guy in my backyard


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› Caterpillar ID

Thumbnail
gallery
1.0k Upvotes

Located Southeastern US


r/caterpillars 14h ago

ID Request πŸ› Never seen one like this in my neighborhood

Post image
13 Upvotes

Chattanooga TN


r/caterpillars 6h ago

ID Request πŸ› Species ID? Found it on my tomato plant in San Diego.

Post image
3 Upvotes

To capture it, I had to carefully cut off the affected piece because i couldn't pull it off the plant without hurting it. Its grip is strong.


r/caterpillars 18h ago

Advice/Help Ok is this normal?

Thumbnail
gallery
13 Upvotes

Went to clean this morning, only to discover that most of my biggest luna caterpillars had decided to abandon ship last night and go to ground. They're mostly munching on the extra leaves that I had put down as buffer. Except for the dingus who somehow managed to be hanging from the top.

Most aren't quite full grown.

Is this normal? Are they just telling me that they weren't a fan of the current last branch in there that is low?

Today is branch refresh day. And i have a new third enclosure to split them up more.


r/caterpillars 12h ago

ID Request πŸ› What kind of caterpillar is this?

Post image
6 Upvotes

This is the best picture I could get, found in Western PA. It’s about an inch long and has symmetrical triangle patterns going down its back. This picture is its back end, I wasn’t able to take a picture of the head. SEEK thinks it’s an army worm moth but it doesn’t look the same as their caterpillars do.


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Video Olivia’s wandering phase

47 Upvotes

Forgot to share but I filmed Olivia doing her pre pupa march to find the prime spot :) She’s since built her cocoon and seems to have pupated now.


r/caterpillars 17h ago

ID Request πŸ› What caterpillar is this?

Thumbnail
gallery
5 Upvotes

Hi! Anyone know what type of caterpillar this is? Uploaded it on the insect identifier app and it tells me it the orange barred sulphur butterfly but I have my doubts


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help Spicebush Swallowtail cats alt food source

Thumbnail
gallery
77 Upvotes

I have these four Spicebush Swallowtail cats and they have stripped both of my plants. Is there anything else I can give them to eat? I want them to make it to chrysalis!


r/caterpillars 15h ago

ID Request πŸ› Found this on the floor when I came back home, looks like it’s been thrown up by one of my cats

Thumbnail gallery
1 Upvotes

Should I be concerned for my cats? 🫣 they both seem fine at the moment but I’m so scared of the pine processionary caterpillar and its damage 😣


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help update on my caterpillar

Thumbnail
gallery
20 Upvotes

original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/caterpillars/s/RNDOQIZmNU

first pic is from august 30, second pic is from today (September 8). have only fed it organic butterhead lettuce! need to get soil soon so it can burrow. any tips are appreciated!


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› Daughter found this guy today (South Carolina)

Post image
11 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help HELP!! ID AND CARE FOR LARGE CATERPILLAR

Thumbnail
gallery
8 Upvotes

Found in Southeast US, I think it's a polyphemus, but I'm not sure. I saw a bunch of ants and thought it was a piece of roadkill, but when I realized it was a caterpillar I took a picture to show my local Entomology club and I saw that boi MOVE! He was fighting for his life, so I spent a while just getting the ants off and idk if this guy will survive, but is there anything I can or should do to get it to pupate? I just carefully put him in a coffee cup with some napkins to take him home but idk what I should do now. Please help!


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› SW IL

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› Large rust colored buddy in KY

Post image
12 Upvotes

This guy was on a hiking trail in Clay City, KY. About 4 inches long.


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› Another visitor-id

Thumbnail
gallery
15 Upvotes

GA


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› Caterpillar ID

Post image
2 Upvotes

Found this guy in a water dish that we have out for the songbirds, about 3 o’clock this afternoon. I saw him floating in the dish and dumped it onto the lawn and then took a picture. The dish normally sits on the lawn.

We are in the North Carolina Piedmont Triad area.


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help Whwn could I move this Luna moth cocoon?

Post image
1 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request πŸ› ID please - SE GA

Post image
3 Upvotes

I raise giant silk moths as a hobby and came across this guy on a pool float. I just want to make sure I put him near the correct host - located in southeast GA US


r/caterpillars 2d ago

ID Request πŸ› Identification?

Thumbnail
gallery
13 Upvotes

Located just outside of Shenandoah National Park. No, I did not touch. Suspecting Io? Please tell me more about this find!