What does a hickory horned devil caterpillar turn into?
The hickory horned devil caterpillar differs from most other caterpillars that spin a cocoon. Instead, they actually burrow down into the ground to transform into an adult moth. In fact, you are unlikely to see one of these caterpillars until he climbs down out of a tree looking for a site for pupation.
What is another word for hickory horned devils?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. Citheronia regalis, the regal moth or royal walnut moth, is a North American moth in the family Saturniidae. The caterpillars are called hickory horned devils.
Are hickory horned devils dangerous to humans?
Because hickory horned devils are harmless to humans and are relatively rare, no control measures are needed. Common name: hickory horned devil (larva), regal moth or royal walnut moth (adult), scientific name: Citheronia regalis (Fabricius) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Citheroniinae).
What does a hickory horned devil pupa look like?
Mature hickory horned devils crawl to the soil and dig in to form a subterranean cell in which they molt into a pupal stage. The shiny, dark-brown pupa is about two inches long (or even longer) and is somewhat cylindrical. The fall, winter and spring is spent as a pupa in the soil. Next summer, the insect molts into the regal moth.
Is the hickory horned devil poisonous?
Mature hickory horned devil caterpillars are quite large and can grow up to 5.5 inches (14 cm) long. Overall the caterpillar resembles a ferocious dragon, but it is not dangerous or harmful. The spines are not poisonous and not very sharp.
What is a hickory horned devil worm?
The hickory horned devil, Citheronia regalis, is the largest caterpillar of the United States. Although it has a ferocious appearance, the hickory horned devil is harmless. This worm starts as a tiny caterpillar after hatching from one of hundreds of eggs laid by a regal moth.
Is the hickory horned devil caterpillar rare?
"You never know what surprise you can come across in nature." Chris Barnhart, distinguished professor of biology at Missouri State University, said hickory horned devils and Regal moths aren't particularly rare, though not many people see them.
How big is the hickory horned devil?
The hickory horned devil is among the largest of our native saturniid caterpillars. It is 12.5 to 14 cm in length—about the size of a large hot dog.
What is the largest moth in the world?
atlas mothThe moth was identified by officials as an atlas moth, the largest moth species in the world that can have a wingspan of 10-inches, according to previous reporting from McClatchy.
Where can I find hickory horned devil?
Hickory horned devils live in deciduous forests in the eastern United States, from Missouri to Massachusetts and south from Texas to central Florida. Their host plants include hickories, ash, walnuts, persimmon, sweetgum, and they even utilize the non-native privet.
How long do hickory horned devil caterpillars live?
about a weekIt has gray-green and orange wings about four to six inches wide. It lives only about a week, and in that time this beautiful moth works as hard as it can to mate and reproduce, before it eventually dies of exhaustion.
How long do hickory horned devils live?
about one weekLike most other moths, it is nocturnal. But, this is a very large gray-green moth with orange wings, measuring up to 6 inches in width. It lives only about one week and never get to eat. In fact, they don't even have a functional mouth.
What is the largest caterpillar in the world?
Lonomia obliquaGenus:LonomiaSpecies:L. obliquaBinomial nameLonomia obliqua Walker, 18558 more rows
What does a blue horned caterpillar turn into?
Except strictly speaking, it will be a moth.
How do you raise a hickory horned devil?
The easiest way to raise them, is to pick them up with a soft paint brush or q-tip and place them in a plastic container that contains leaves of their favorite plants; recommended are walnut (Juglans), sweetgum (Liquidambar), hickory (Carya), sumac (Rhus), and persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) which are their favorite ...
Do moths bite?
Even though most moths don't bite, try to avoid having them in your house. Moths may cause allergic reactions and some are toxic to consume.
Where do hickory horned devil caterpillars live?
HHDs live in the deciduous forest areas of the eastern U.S. In earlier years you could find them as far north as Massachusetts, but now they only get as far as New Jersey. They're more common down south — as far west as eastern Texas and as far east as central Florida.
What do hickory horned devil caterpillars eat?
The hickory horned devil is a blue-green colored caterpillar, about the size of a large hot dog, covered in long black thorns. They are often seen feeding on the leaves of deciduous forest trees, such as hickory, pecan, sweetgum, sumac and persimmon.
What does a blue horned caterpillar turn into?
Except strictly speaking, it will be a moth.
What is the largest caterpillar in the world?
Lonomia obliquaGenus:LonomiaSpecies:L. obliquaBinomial nameLonomia obliqua Walker, 18558 more rows
What is a horned devil?
Meet the Hickory Horned Devil, a Fierce but Harmless Caterpillar. Hickory horned devil caterpillars look fierce and can be almost as big as a hot dog, but they’re harmless. They have green bodies (that become turquoise as they age) and lots of prickled, orangey horn-like structures on their heads. They’re so big and fierce-looking ...
Where do HHDs live?
HHDs live in the deciduous forest areas of the eastern U.S. In earlier years you could find them as far north as Massachusetts, but now they only get as far as New Jersey. They’re more common down south — as far west as eastern Texas and as far east as central Florida.
What is a hickory horned devil?
The Hickory Horned Devil, a Fierce but Harmless Caterpillar. Kidsdiscover.com introduces children to the hickory horned devil caterpillars, which look fierce and can be almost as big as a hot dog, but are harmless. The Regal Moth or Hickory Horned Devil Caterpillar.
What happens if you disturb a hickory horned devil?
If you disturb a hickory horned devil caterpillar, it will throw its body from side to side trying to scare you away, but it is all an act and they really are harmless. In late summer to early fall, the caterpillar will burrow into the soil to pupate and overwinter.
What keeps chickens from eating hickory horned devil caterpillars?
Their large size and fierce look are what keep chickens from eating hickory horned devil caterpillars. Their scary-looking appearance allows them to become beautiful regal moths.
How long does it take for regal moths to hatch?
It takes the eggs about 15-16 days to hatch, starting the four larval stages - embryo, larva, pupa and imago.
What kind of moth is this big ugly sucker?
This big, ugly sucker, however, will eventually turn into a large, colorful regal (or royal walnut) moth.
Is the hickory horned devil a caterpillar?
Calling the hic kory horned devil a large caterpillar may be an understatement, as you can see in this photograph, but their appearance makes a human one of their major predators because they don't understand that they are not dangerous.
How big is a hickory horned devil?
Hall, University of Florida. Larva: The hickory horned devil is among the largest of our native saturniid caterpillars. It is 12.5 to 14 cm in length - about the size of a large hot dog.
What is the name of the hickory that is a host of the regal moth?
Figure 8. Pignut hickory, Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet , a host of the regal moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius). Photograph by Donald W. Hall, University of Florida.
What is the name of the caterpillar of the pine devil?
Figure 6. Larva of the pine devil, Citheronia sepulcralis Grote & Robinson, which is sometimes mistaken for the hickory horned devil caterpillar of the regal moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius). Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida.
What is the name of the regal moth?
Figure 10. Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana L., a host of the regal moth, Citheronia regalis (Fabricius). Photograph by Donald W. Hall, University of Florida.
How big are hickory horned devils?
The spectacular caterpillar of this species is famous enough to have its own name: hickory horned devil. When mature, they can be up to 5½ inches long . There’s really no mistaking them. The color is highly variable but is usually green with blue, black, white, yellow, and reddish or orange markings, and long, curved horns on the back behind the head that are orange with bluish-black tips. Rows of smaller spines run down the rest of the body. Younger stages are spinier, with branching spines along the body, and look quite different, with the smallest hatchlings mostly black, and middle stages orangish or reddish.
How do silkworms attract males?
Like most other giant silkworm moths, females attract males by releasing pheromones (scents). The males are highly sensitive to these scents and fly upwind, following the scent until they find the female.
What color are regal moths?
Adult regal moths are enormous. The forewings are overall gray, tan, or slightly olive, with orange or reddish-orange veins and pale yellow spots. Hindwings are more orange, usually with a yellow patch at the base. The body appears furry and is orange with pale yellow markings.
When do caterpillars burrow?
The caterpillars are usually seen between July and October. They overwinter as pupae.
Where do black walnuts live?
This explains they are most common in the Ozarks and eastern Missouri — the parts of our state that are more extensively wooded.
Can hickory horned devils stay underground?
Occasionally, a pupating hickory horned devil may stay underground an extra year, emerging an entire year after the rest of its generation. Apparently, this can be an insurance policy in species that pack such an important part of their life cycle into just a few weeks. If some catastrophe occurs and wipes out the adult moths (or their eggs or larvae) one summer, at least a few caterpillars can miss the devastation and survive to mate the following year.
How many times do hickory horned devils molt?
They molt four times. Each instar is different, but on their fifth and final instar they become a bright green color, with huge, black-tipped red horns, earning them their common name hickory horned devils. They feed heavily on their host plant for 37 to 42 days and can grow up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long.
When do caterpillars hatch?
When the eggs hatch 7 to 10 days later, small yellow larvae that darken rapidly emerge. The caterpillars are solitary nighttime feeders in early stages, when they curl up in a "j" shaped pattern during the day and resemble two-toned bird droppings. As the caterpillars age, they feed during the day.
What is the name of the regal moth?
Binomial name. Citheronia regalis. ( Fabricius, 1793) Citheronia regalis, the regal moth or royal walnut moth, is a North American moth in the family Saturniidae. The caterpillars are called hickory horned devils. The adult ( imago) has a wingspan of 3.75-6.1 in (9.5-15.5 cm). The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793.
Introduction
Distribution
- The regal moth is found throughout the deciduous forest areas of the eastern United States from New Jersey to Missouri and southward to eastern Texas and central Florida (Wagner 2005). It is more common in the southern part of its distribution. Historically, it was found north to Massachusetts and seems to be declining in numbers in other parts of its range (Wagner 2005).
Description
- Adult:The regal moth has a wingspan of 9.5 to 15.5 cm (Covell 2005). Females are larger than males. The forewings are gray to gray-green with orange veins and a row of seven to nine yellow spots near the distal margin. There also are single yellow discal and basal spots. The hind wing is mostly orange with a basal yellow spot and yellow patches (or spots) on the costal and anal mar…
Life Cycle
- The regal moth typically has only a single generation per year, although a few late collection records suggest the possibility of a small second brood in the deep south. In Florida, adults have been collected in May, but are more common during the summer. Adults have vestigial mouthparts. Adults mate during the second evening after emergence and begin oviposition at d…
Hosts
- Larvae have been reported from a variety of host tree species. They are commonly found on species of the family (Juglandaceae) including walnut (Juglans nigra), butternut or white walnut (Juglans cinerea), and a variety of hickories (Carya spp.) including pecan.. Other hosts commonly listed are persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and sumacs (…
Natural Enemies
- At least six species of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) (Arnaud 1978, Peigler 1994), one species of sarcophagid fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) (Peigler 1994), and one species of braconid wasp (Krombein & Hurd 1979) have been reported from Citheronia regalis. Tachinid parasitoids of Citheronia regalis
Selected References
- Arnaud PH. 1978. A Host-Parasite Catalog of North American Tachinidae (Diptera). United States Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication 1319. Washington, D.C.
- Arnett RH Jr. 1985. American Insects. Van Nostrand Reinold Company, Inc. New York. p. 587.
- Covell CV. 2005. A Field Guide to the Moths of Eastern North America. Virginia Museum of Natural History. Special Publication Number 12. Martinsville, VA. 496 pp.
- Arnaud PH. 1978. A Host-Parasite Catalog of North American Tachinidae (Diptera). United States Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication 1319. Washington, D.C.
- Arnett RH Jr. 1985. American Insects. Van Nostrand Reinold Company, Inc. New York. p. 587.
- Covell CV. 2005. A Field Guide to the Moths of Eastern North America. Virginia Museum of Natural History. Special Publication Number 12. Martinsville, VA. 496 pp.
- Ferguson DC. 1971. The Moths of North America. E.W. Classey Ltd. Middlesex, England. pp. 32-33.
