Cecropia moth caterpillar
This caterpillar is the larva of the Cecropia silkworm moth. It is one of our largest caterpillars. It feeds on many trees and shrubs including wild cherry, plum, elderberry, maple, willow, boxelder, apple, birch, lilac, walnut, pecan, elm, beech and poplar. In the late summer or early fall, the larva spins an overwintering cocoon attached to a twig on the plant where the larva fed. The large adult moth emerges May-July. The caterpillar was beautiful and there were several, quickly stripping the leaves off our young plum tree. I carefully moved the caterpillars to a less desirable and larger wild plum tree nearby and they seemed happy enough there.
Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in May 2021
Cecropia moth caterpillar
This caterpillar is the larva of the Cecropia silkworm moth. It is one of our largest caterpillars. It feeds on many trees and shrubs including wild cherry, plum, elderberry, maple, willow, boxelder, apple, birch, lilac, walnut, pecan, elm, beech and poplar. In the late summer or early fall, the larva spins an overwintering cocoon attached to a twig on the plant where the larva fed. The large adult moth emerges May-July. The caterpillar was beautiful and there were several, quickly stripping the leaves off our young plum tree. I carefully moved the caterpillars to a less desirable and larger wild plum tree nearby and they seemed happy enough there.
Montell, Uvalde County, Texas in May 2021