by azhadminKM
Catalpa Sphinx Moth adult
Catalpa sphinx moth (Ceratomia catalpa)
Range: The catalpa sphinx is found throughout the eastern United States from Florida to New York, west to Michigan, and south to Texas and Colorado.
Life History: This hornworm moth is about three inches long and gray brown in color. They are night flyers and do not feed as adults. They lay small, oval white-to-green eggs in mound-like masses of 100 to 1000 eggs on the underside of catalpa leaves. The eggs hatch in mid-May. The newly hatched caterpillars quickly begin feeding and can defoliate a tree in a short time. There are two types of caterpillars: one is dark in color with yellow sides and the other is light in color with orange sides. After three weeks, the mature caterpillar enters the soil and pupates. New adults emerge in two weeks and often a second generation of caterpillars is produced. At the end of summer the pupae overwinter in the soil to emerge in the spring. Total life cycle is about six weeks. Catalpa sphinx infestations tend to occur in cycles that are heavy for two to three years then almost nonexistent for several years. This may be due to the cycling of natural predators.
Catalpa Sphinx larval stage, sometimes called "Catawba worm" or "fish worm" by fishermen.
Damage: The Catalpa sphinx caterpillar feeds only on the northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) and southern catalpa (Catalpa bignoides) species. They can defoliate a tree in a short time if infestations are heavy, which can compromise the health of the tree, especially if defoliation is repeated during the growing season several years in a row.
Management Tips:
- The catalpa sphinx is preyed upon by parasitic wasps, which lay their eggs through the tough skin of the caterpillar. The wasp larvae eat the caterpillar from the inside out, and then spin a visible silken cocoon on the caterpillar skin.
- Catalpa sphinx populations are controlled by many other predators, including birds, mammals, and fish.
- Bt can be used to control the caterpillar. Read the label and watch for negative impacts on bees.
Light form of Catalpa Sphinx larval stage.
Sidebar: Fishermen prize these worms as fish bait due to their tough skin and juicy bodies. Catalpa caterpillars, called Catawba worms by fishermen, can even be frozen for fish bait and used at a later time. The Catawba worm is considered excellent bait for catfish.
More Information:
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/IPM1019-8
http://ag.auburn.edu/enpl/bulletins/catalpasphinx/catalpasphinx.htm
