Io Moth Caterpillar

About this Caterpillar:

With many-branched spines full of poison, this io moth caterpillar is ready for a fight. Eggs are laid in clusters, so earliest instar caterpillars will be seen in bunches. They start larval life a dark brown, and gradually molt from brown to orange, then tan, and finally to this green color.

Where It's Found:

Fields and forests from southern Canada all the way to Florida and Texas

What It Eats:

Quite a variety – sassafras, willow, aspen, cherry, elm, hackberry, poplar, and other trees; also clover, grasses, and other herbaceous plants

Group:

Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Family Saturniidae)

Sources:

• Caterpillars of Eastern North America by David L. Wagner
• Stinging Caterpillars: A Guide to Recognition of Species Found on Alabama Trees