LOOK AT THIS CUTIE. This is Eumorpha pandorus (Pandorus Sphinx) and it's a very special caterpillar. I reared this larva from an egg from the adult Eumorpha pandorus I posted a while back. This species is one of the main ones I'm working with for my thesis project because the larvae can come in a number of color forms. Pictured here is a third instar E. pandorus that is green colored. The white blotches around the spiracles in this larva are cream, instead of the normal white. This species can also come in orange, brown, black, yellow, and red. It's pretty phenominal the amount of coloration this species can have! They are out and about right now in the Northeast, so if you have a lot of Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper), Parthenocissus vitacea (Grape Woodbine), or Vitis (Grape), it's worth taking a look for this magnificent larva. If you happen to find a few, consider sending them to me to assist in my research :). Eumorpha pandorus is easily one of the most charasmatic sphingids found in the Northeast, and can be found all the way to Southern Florida and west to the Great Plains. The final instar of this larva is just massive and sort of resembles a walking sausage. Another fun fact about this species is the caudual horn. You can see in this image it's rather long and curly, resembling a Grape or Virginia Creeper tendril, the fourth instar will lose it's horn entirely, being replaced by a really cool false eyespot. I'll post a LOT more photos of this larva as it grows, as well as other Eumorpha pandorus larvae when/if I find some! #Sphingidae #SphingidaeUSA #Eumorpha #Eumorphapandorus #PandorusSphinx #Hawkmoths #SphinxMoths #Insects #Caterpillar #GradWork #Projects #Moth #Lepidoptera #Entomology #Insects_Of_Our_World #igclub_butterfly #igcb_mothmonday https://www.instagram.com/p/B2IJ3ZIAdB3/?igshid=epv7h6xgi0y7
