Rewilding My Lot

Converting a new developer lot into a nature ecosystem — my journey

Climbing A Ladder To See A Caterpillar

While recently looking up to the top of my 10-foot-tall Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) tree, I noticed an odd shape that I thought at first might be a mutant seed pod. On closer inspection it turned out to be an enormous caterpillar (within the blue circle in the photo below).

I tried to get good photographs from the ground but when that wasn’t possible, curiosity got the better of me and I climbed up a ladder.

What a beauty! The caterpillar is about 4 inches long and 0.5 inches thick. It’s a Rustic Sphinx (Manduca rustica) moth, and the adult can have a wingspan of 3.5-6 inches. Desert Willow is one of the host plants for this spectacular creature.

A couple of days after I prepared this post, I saw the caterpillar had moved to a lower branch that I could reach. So here’s another photo next to my hand to illustrate the size of this thing!

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About Me

Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.

I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.

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