• About
  • Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, and Disclosure

Garden Experiments

Gardening tips, experiments, product reviews, and stories from my backyard.

  • Plants
    • Vegetables
    • Flowers & Plants
  • Projects & Ideas
  • Wildlife
  • Reviews
  • Recipes
  • Gardens & Butterfly Houses
    • Directory of Butterfly Houses by State
    • Garden Tours
You are here: Home / Wildlife / You Won’t Believe Your Eyes When You See This Giant Caterpillar

Updated on June 16, 2020

You Won’t Believe Your Eyes When You See This Giant Caterpillar

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

This is the frangipani hornworm moth also known as the giant gray sphinx moth (Pseudosphinx tetrio). It is the biggest caterpillar I have ever seen.

Frangipani hornworm moth caterpillars on a Plumeria tree
Frangipani hornworm moth caterpillars on a Plumeria tree

We were walking along the streets of old San Juan in Puerto Rico when we came across a small park. I noticed the Plumeria were looking rather ragged, so I took a closer look only to find not one, but many, of these caterpillars ranging in size.

The biggest one we saw was almost as long as my hand. Yikes! He and his friends were munching on some frangipani (Plumeria spp.) leaves. One large adult caterpillar can eat three big leaves a day.

The frangipani hornworm moth is native to tropical and subtropical Americas and has been found as far north as the northeastern U.S.

Plumeria flower
Plumeria flower on the tree that the frangipani hornworms were feasting

Because it feeds on the toxic Plumeria plants, it has a bad taste and is toxic to predators. I’m really glad I paid attention to its coloration (bright red and orange is always a warning) and did not touch it – just to be safe.

According to University of Florida’s Entomology Department, the tetrio sphinx caterpillar can get as long as six inches. That’s about the size of the biggest one I saw in Puerto Rico.

It bites (yikes!) and it also has tiny hairs on it that can cause skin irritation. No thank you!

Frangipani hornworm caterpillars on a tree limb
Frangipani hornworm caterpillars on a tree limb
Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

Article by Garden Experiments / Wildlife

Recent Posts

  • Eastern Redbuds Provide Early Spring Food for Bees
  • Celebrating Pollinators – Bees, Butterflies, Birds and More
  • You Won’t Believe Your Eyes When You See This Giant Caterpillar

About Me

Welcome! My name is Kathy and I live in Mississippi Zone 7B. Gardening has always relaxed and rooted me (literally!). It's my happy place. With over 25 years of gardening, I am far from an expert, but I learn from all my experiments. This blog talks about the plants, backyard critters, and more that have made my garden special. Read More

Popular Posts

Purple and White Container GardenPurple and White Container Garden10K Total Shares
Landscape Solutions for the Base of TreesLandscape Solutions for the Base of Trees5K Total Shares
Restore metal outdoor furniture to “like new”Restore metal outdoor furniture to “like new”4K Total Shares
Don’t Throw Out that Old Bird Bath! Make It a PlanterDon’t Throw Out that Old Bird Bath! Make It a Planter2K Total Shares
How to Keep Your Gladiolus Flowers From Falling OverHow to Keep Your Gladiolus Flowers From Falling Over2K Total Shares

Tags

backyard habitat bees berries bird feeders birds bulbs butterflies compost container garden deer resistant DIY projects fall flowers full sun garden pest gardens herbs how-to hummingbirds indoor plants insects moist soil mulch native plants part shade plant identification projects and ideas propagation propagation. wildflowers raised beds recipes reviews rooting shade shrubs spring spring flowers succulents Summer trees vegetables vines wildflowers wildlife winter

Categories

Plow & Hearth

© Copyright 2021 Garden Experiments · All Rights Reserved ·