Southern Flannel Moth Caterpillar/Puss Cat

15 years ago

I've seen pictures of flannel moth cats/Megalopyge opercularis, but I've never seen one myself, until today that is! I found this on a small red bay while walking the dogs - looks sort of like the old "duck tail" hairdos that were popular for a while in the late 1950's! :)

{{gwi:547396}}
I've read that they can give you a tremendous rash and long lasting sting, so I kept a safe distance from it.

I saw the first monarch today that I've seen in months and months. It was nectaring on a butterfly bush in my garden, and when I went in to look at it up close to see if it was a male or female, it flew away. Butterflies are becoming somewhat scarce here - fall is here early, and I'm only raising one cat now, a palamedes swallowtail. I've got plenty of chrysalids in my guest room, though, so I should have a good start next spring!

Sherry

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Comments (7)

susanlynne48
15 years ago
MissSherry - congrats on your Flannel Moth - I keep hoping I will see one (but not touch one accidentally since they have urticating hairs), but so far, none.

You may see a lot of butterflies yet. Today I had about 15 Monarchs in my small 20 sf. front area on the asters ('Jindai' and oblongifolius or aromatic aster) and the Blue Mistflower (ageratum houstonianum). Also saw a Painted Lady, American Lady, Orange Sulphur, Texas Crescent, and tons and tons of skippers. Wow - it was hectic out there, and the Monarchs kept flying across my path as I went into the house! Don't know how I would feel about a mouthful of Monarchs!

Anyway, they are clustering together right now in OKC (numerous genus/species), so I would expect you may see more in the coming days/weeks.

Susan
MissSherry
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm still seeing a good many gulf frits, Susan, plus I saw a red-spotted purple today, a variegated fritillary the other day, and I saw what looked like a newly emerged female pipevine swallowtail. My pipevines are making new growth in this cooler weather, so I might get some eggs. The cloudless sulphurs and sleepy oranges are plentiful, also.
Sherry
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Krystalfoxfire, caterpillars aren't known for their brains! My caterpillar looks very similar to a linden looper, but even more like a cherry scallop shell/Rheumaptera prunivorata. It's said that R. prunivorata is the only inchworm that's gregarious, so it must be my cat, even though they were eating a bell pepper plant and not cherry leaves, the only host plant listed for this species - even the scientific name says cherry eater! Wild black cherry trees are all over my property, so their Mama certainly had a choice - maybe she was confused? :) Sherry Here is a link that might be useful:
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From the new information you've supplied several species are easily eliminated. Still leaves 2 possibilities that have very variable larva and your data sways back and forth between them. It is possible they are Hyles lineata (White-lined Sphinx) as suggested. They have several forms of larva that are highly varible. But usually their larva are either yellow with black patterns; black with yellow patterns; yellow with a black oval dorsal band or black with small paired yellow dorsal spots and a series of yellow dots in rows laterally. Ventral surface is usually yellow on all forms. They can vary anywhere between any two of these forms as well, have from bright to very muddy colors. I've found some in SE AZ that washed the yellow and black together in a way that they looked like they were basically a dirty green. The horn is usually yellow or yellow and black. They are general feeders that will accept quite a few plant species. I won't list them yet, because... My guess is Sphinx sequoiae (no common name)from your description. Their larva are bright green, with red-brown spots mid dorsal that become a line on the rear half of the larva, two pairs of white dots that become a line of yellow-brown spots below the spiricles. The horn is short, green with a yellow tip. Their larval foodplants are Cedar and Juniper. Always fun to find something new and I'd bet fighting off the Ravens (not crows in RRC) added some fun to the moment for your cousin. Cultivated tomato is in the Solanaceae family. Never tried it myself, but none of the known foodplants for H. lineata are in that family. That alone doesn't mean they wouldn't use it though. Keep us posted on how they do. They will winter-over until next year to get adults.
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Utmost of compliments on the fabulous photography skills! Can I assume those photos by you both are not taken on a simple point & shoot camera phone??? I'd love to hear yes for the camera phone, then maybe I can try to take a few. I appreciate the tip on the four o clocks. I have an empty spot and may look for seed next trip into the big city. Or would I be too late for it to have growth for the moth to lay it's eggs on? I do have tomatoes (yipes) that I won't appreciate being the host plant, but if I have somewhere to transfer the children to.......And I've got a spare fuschia I'm willing to sacrifice. SCG: is this the 1st year that you're growing 4 o'clocks as a host plant or have you had success with the cats using them in the past? And is that pink flower with white trim a petunia bloom or a four o'clock bloom? Thanks!
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Hmmm. I don't know whether I have two different kinds of caterpillars around here, or what. The things in the picture above seem to be just some sort of cocoons and not the actual caterpillars. I've seen white caterpillars going up a tree a couple of times, or hanging from a strand in front of my face, and they don't look like puss caterpillars. They are white and wooly, but don't look like the Shaggy DA, like those puss caterpillars. And I can actually see their heads (they are sort of reddish or orangish on their heads). The things plastered all over my house and seen in the picture seem to be cocoons or "shells" left behind. I saw one the other day on the underside of the palm leaf. Any idea what the things in the picture ARE? I can't find anything about any caterpillars that leave behind these husks attached to homes, but I know we have a ton of them in Cape Coral. I've seen them on other homes. And I've never seen that impressive looking moth that the puss caterpillar becomes! That was quite interesting looking! I've been unable to locate any pictures like I have above, and have never seen a caterpillar crawling around that looks like the puss caterpillar. The ones that I've seen around here don't look like that. Strange...
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murray_2008
15 years ago
Out here in CA I am seeing one or two monarchs a day and west coast ladies as well as some painted ladies. This week I have seen one or two pipevine swallowtails that appeared newly hatched and yesterday I saw an anise swallowtail out front. There may have been more butterflies but I have been feeling sick for at least a week and didn't have the energy to go outside very much. Whatever I could see from the couch was noted but anything else would have escaped my notice.

I have had a couple of blood tests during the last couple of months trying to see what is going on and I am hoping it is not diabetes and just hypoglycemia which I have had off and on for years. I can tell you that getting old is not for the faint-hearted.

I am disappointed by the poor numbers of monarchs this year so far and partly because we have had several hot-spells and now seem to be headed for rain and perhaps an early fall. There is still hope though as October and November are normally good periods for monarchs here if it doesn't rain too much.
butterflymomok
15 years ago
Miss Sherry,

Love your "rug." That is a cool-looking cat.

I'm seeing lots of BFs around. Yesterday, I got my first GF of the year.

Murray,

I hope your tests come out OK. I agree that getting old is the pits. I think Sherry and Susan both have "big" BFs coming up. They're going to catch up with me!

Sandy
bananasinohio
15 years ago
Congrats? That is one of those caterpillars I am not sure I want to see. I think they are so cute I would have to pick one up..not :)! The flannels actually have stinging spines (modified setea) attached to poison glands. Some of them have tannins sequestered from the host plants incorporated into the poisons. I looked and looked for research on these guys but there is not a lot. Just a few abstracts from emergency medicine journals.
-Elisabeth
MissSherry
Original Author
15 years ago
I couldn't find much on them, either, Elisabeth. While I was walking the dogs today, I found this cocoon in the exact same spot on the redbay - I guess it'll be here until next year!
{{gwi:547398}}
Sherry
bernergrrl
15 years ago
Wow! Great pics MissSherry. The cocoon is very interesting looking and is so well-camouflaged. What an amazing creature!

Southern Flannel Moth Caterpillar/Puss Cat

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susanlynne48

MissSherry
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Southern Flannel Moth Caterpillar/Puss Cat

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