Making It Grow!: Slug Moth Caterpillars

  Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Most caterpillars are pretty recognizable as just that – the larva of a butterfly or moth. They have a head and thorax and usually some feet-like protrusions called prolegs. But one group, the slug moths, are among the most famous of the stinging caterpillars and the weirdest looking. Their head is not distinctly separate from the rest of their body and they have suckers-like structures for feet. The Saddleback caterpillar is the most distinctive looking and an encounter with it is among the worst that you could experience. It has spiny horns on its front and rear and a green body with a brown “saddle” with white margins in the middle. Unlike some caterpillars, it is not picky about what it eats and can be found feeding on dogwood, maple, oak and even corn! This fellow is a late bloomer and you usually see it in late summer or fall.