Category: insects

Categories
insects

Pluto Spinx Moth Caterpillar

I was at work yesterday cleaning up an area in the garden where I work so I could add a few new plants. I started bagging up my garbage when I noticed this guy chillin on some of the chiococca leaves I had trimmed……..

I took him in the office where me and my co-worker researched and discovered that this funny looking guy was a Pluto Spinx Moth Caterpillar. Also known as Xylophanes pluto for those of you who like scientific names. These seem to be pretty widespread in tropical and subtropical lowlands. There range is Brazil north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to Florida and South Texas.

For some more information, visit Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Here are a few more pictures I took of this cute guy including a chrysalis of one of the Pluto spinx caterpillars going through ‘the change’. Before I knew the name of this caterpillar I was calling him the Pinocchio caterpillar cause, well, you get it…..

Happy Gardening! 🙂

Categories
insects

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

I had the pleasure at my job the other day, I work as am Horticuluralist at a botanical garden in South Florida, to have this beauty chill out with me for a moment. This is a Papilio cresphontes or Giant Swallowtail. This guy is one of my favorites. This butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the United States.

swallow tail

These caterpillars have this forked organ, called an osmeterium, that emits a noxious odor. These ‘stink glands’ are used to help repel potential predators such as ants that may try to attack them. They love to snack on citrus tree leaves, wild lime and torchwood.