Saddleback Caterpillar Moth (Acharia stimulea)

by jfrye530 Sep 12, 2010 5:12 PM

1. Single one crawling - enhanced photo so you can see the spines and the "saddleback". Note: the larger end is the head. It has the extra two spikes. The tail end has the fake white eye spots - these are to attract predators to the wrong end of the caterpillar; most likely so they'll get stung before doing much damage.

2. Three Saddleback Caterpillars feasting on one of the last leaves of my plant.

3, Single Saddleback Caterpillar climbing to the highest point on my plant after all leaves eaten.

Saddleback Caterpillar Moth on Meyer lemon leaf - with Mealybug

Seen In Abingdon Maryland

A saddleback caterpillar found on some hibiscus in Mt. Airy, MD

Saddleback Cocoon in a Ginger leaf

Saddleback Caterpillar moth

SaddleBack Caterpillar feasting on Purple Castor bean leaves - VERY COOL looking CAT! They have very strong suction cups on their undersides,too. I moved one, it didn't sting me - guess I got lucky!

this little guy hurt,felt like fire running up my arm.

Ouch!!!

his body was brownish yellow an the spikes were black an red,bright yellow eyes

Saddleback feeding on my crocosmia

This cutie hitched a ride from my garden to the kitchen and stung me!

What kid wouldn't want to touch this thing?

Zone 7a, Found two of these seemingly cute but WICKEDLY POISON cats chopping today on my Cannas.

On redbud leaf

I found it weeding out my flower bed on my knockout roses. I'm really glad I didn't touch it!

I think this is the back end of the caterpillar if the chewing end is located at its front end.

I assume this is a saddleback caterpillar as well but in a different stage of its life compared to the others whose horns, spines and markings show.

Another view of one of the saddleback caterpillars I found.

And this is the darkest one in the bunch I found.

And a week later, I find one of them covered with either eggs or parasitic larvae of some sort. Anyone know what they are or what's going on?

Another view of the saddleback caterpillar with the yellow formations on it. After I posted this photo a few of the yellow things had fallen off and left black dots where they'd been attached to the caterpillar...damaged its surface.

My boyfriend came in rushing through the house and said he got stung by a strange looking caterpillar. After taking some Benedryl as a precaution, he went back outside and took a picture with my cell

Saddleback Catepillar

The underside of a Saddleback Catepillar

Saddleback caterpillar 8-30-2012

Saddleback caterpillar 2012

Saddleback caterpillar, rear view

I was stung twice last week and had no idea where it came from. Now that I found this guy I know I must have brushed against him.

Beware the saddleback caterpillar for it is armed with stinging spines that cause intense burning and nasty red welts. It is the larval form of a drab, dark brown moth.