I'M SO BUMMED!

Imperial Moth Larva

While mowing part of the backyard tonight I must have run over this wonderful caterpillar specimen! I'm so bummed. On my second pass, I noticed the big, fat body in the grass and hit the breaks. Unfortunately, it was smashed a bit into the ground and no longer alive. I must have done the dastardly deed on the first go around.

Approximately 3-3.5 inches long. Common host plants are oaks, sweetgum, sycamore, elm, hickories, walnut, maple, basswood, honeylocust, pines, red cedar, and bald cypress. I found it under a ginko tree, but near a bald cypress, sweetgum and pine tree.

The last abdominal segment bears conspicuous yellow and black triangular plates. I'm not sure what they are for but they are funky!

The Adult Imperial Moth
Gorgeous!