Big Moths: Saturniids and Their Hosts

Four years ago, we were thrilled to find both Cecropia Moth and Polyphemus Moth caterpillars in our yard. Unfortunately, the Polyphemus caterpillar died from parasites (eaten from inside out) and we lost track of the Cecropia caterpillar before its final instar. Since then, I am always checking for these species of caterpillars to show again……

Host Plants for Caterpillars

There’s a good reason to choose keystone plants for the landscape – they are crucial to the foodweb in an ecosystem. The foliage (for caterpillars) or pollen (for bees) support the largest number of these insect species, creating the best chance of high biodiversity in our gardens. Keystone Plants The top keystone genera (closely related…

Caterpillars and Moths at Night

One night this week I set up the sheet and lights for mothing. I also went looking for caterpillars at night with the aid of a blacklight flashlight. Erin, our adult daughter, came over and joined me. She confessed that she only planned on staying 30 minutes but she got caught up in the treasure…