Florida Nature Pictures
Butterflies

I was in my car when I saw this caterpillar on some long grasses by the side of the road.
I made my husband pull over so I could catch it.
He says I have eagle eyes!
This host plant of the Edwards Wasp Moth Caterpillar is the Ficus Tree.
Here is South Florida Ficus trees are everywhere,
especially The Strangler Fig Ficus.
This caterpillar leaves the tree to look for a place to pupate.
It is covered in long hairs that are white or yellow.
Notice the little tuft of brown hairs toward the head.

 

The colors of the head of the larvae are very distinct and helps to identify this species.

 

The caterpillar uses the hairs from its back to make the covering
for its cocoon or pupae.

 

Here you can see the caterpillar and the cocoon through my clear bug box.
This one stayed in the cocoon for 12 days.