Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar

The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar

This is a pretty interesting little green caterpillar. The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar is one of the many Ohio caterpillars that I find every year. I usually only find one or two, so they aren’t as abundant as some of the other caterpillars like the Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar or the Woolly Bear Caterpillar.

The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillars are hard to spot due to the fact that they camouflage very well into all types of vegetation. The last one that I found was on a piece of overgrown grass that had gone to seed. It was on the seeds and almost impossible to spot.

These caterpillars vary in color from a light brown to a light green. The V shape pattern on their back helps them blend in.

The Hitched Arches Moth Caterpillar feeds on many types of plants including goldenrod, honeysuckle, alder, clover, alfalfa, dandelion, birch, willow, trefoil, dandelion, clover and asparagus. They can usually be found along woodland areas near a clearing. 

Laurel Sphinx Caterpillar

Now, this is a hog of a caterpillar and a beauty at that. I found this searching a section of my yard that I don’t usually look in while I’m doing my caterpillar hunting. Yes, I am a caterpillar hunter. Hahaha! Looking for Ohio Caterpillars is a crazy obsession. I had to walk through a rather large flower bed that butts up against the woods. I have no idea why I went in that area, but for some odd reason, I walked right to this large caterpillar. The brilliant bright green color drew me in. I hadn’t ever seen one like this before and I thought that it was along the lines of a tobacco hornworm or a tomato hornworm, but after a little research, I learned that it is a Laurel Sphinx Caterpillar.

This huge caterpillar was wreaking havoc on the bush that it was eating. I was able to keep track of it for a few days but lost track after we had a very bad storm. Due to his size and the fact that his horn had turned blue, I figure it formed its chrysalis and prepared itself for winter. At least that is what I’m telling myself. I would hate to think that a bird had it for dinner.

Laurel Sphinx Caterpillars grow rapidly and molt their skin. They have 5 instars. They are a bright green color and have an almost translucent look to them. There are diagonal stripes on their sides that are black, white and yellow. There are orange spiracle dots under each stripe. The head also has a black and white stripe on each side. Its true legs are black and white and their prolegs are black and green. Its anal prolegs and anal plate have black bumps. The horn of the caterpillar is not poisonous and changes color as it ages. The last instar has a blue horn with black bumps. The moth of this species is quite large and has a wingspan that can reach anywhere from almost 3” to over 4”. The hindwings are tan in color with a black border. The forewings are more of a yellowish brown color with a white border.

The name "Sphinx" is believed to have come from the defensive position that this type of caterpillar takes when it is startled. It will rise up the front part of its body and in a weird way resemble the Egyptian Sphinx. The tobacco hornworm and the tobacco hornworm take this defensive posture.

Metallic Green Sweat Bee

Metallic Green Sweat Bee

Sweat bees are small and can range from 1/8” to ½” in size.  These bees are not usually aggressive and only sting when they are handled. Many of these bees are attracted to the salt in human perspiration, hence the name “sweat bee.”

Sweat bee is the common name used for a large group of bees. There is estimated to be about 1000 different species of sweat bee in the United States, Central America and Canada alone. These bees are so similar in appearance that it is very hard to tell what type of species they are actually a part of. They vary in color from metallic green, gold to black. These types of bees are very common and can be found all over the world, except Australia where they are very uncommon. 

These bees are great pollinators and play a vital role in the ecosystem. They are often seen in large numbers flying about from one flower to the next in a field of wildflowers or some crops.  Females sweat bees are able to carry pollen on their back legs, while males cannot. This is due to the fact that females have dense hair on theirs.

Sweat bees are just like a lot of bees and they live in colonies. Each bee has its own specific role that it has to perform. Depending on the type of sweat bee they will either live underground or in wood. 

Don’t be afraid of sweat bees. They are not aggressive but they can be quite annoying on a nice hot summer day. Just remind yourself that these bees are just doing their job.  If it wasn’t for bees pollinating our food sources our world would be in a lot of trouble.

Ohio Bees Green Bees in Ohio Ohio Insects

Woolly Bear Caterpillar Winter Forecast

Woolly Bear Caterpillar Winter Forecast

As winter and the cold weather are rapidly approaching that means that “caterpillar season” is quickly coming to an end.  I wait all year long to hunt these little creatures and the season goes by so fast.  Right now the only caterpillars that I am finding are pretty much the Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella) and the occasional Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar.   The Isabella tiger moth caterpillar is commonly referred to as the woolly bear, banded woolly bear or the woolly worm.

According to folklore, the woolly bear caterpillar can predict the severity of the coming winter.  The more black bands that the critter has the harsher the winter conditions will be.  So, unless you love cold snowy long winters when you see an Isabella tiger moth caterpillar you want the brown band to take up the biggest part of its body. 

The typical woolly bear caterpillar has 13 segments.  It is believed that each one of these segments represents a week of winter.  The brown segments represent a mild week and the black segments represent a bad week.  You can also look to the thickness of the hair on the caterpillar.  If it is dense the winter will be colder, but if it is space the winter will be mild.  Another prediction depends on which end of the woolly worm caterpillar has the most black stripes.  If the head area has more, then the beginning of winter will be the harshest.  If the rear area has more, the end end of winter will be the worst.

Woolly bears are so popular here in Ohio that the residents of Vermillion have been holding an annual “Wooly Bear Festival” since 1973.  This festival only lasts one day, but it includes a winter forecast, parade and even woolly bear races. 

How accurate are the woolly bears weather predictions?   Not very accurate at all.  Scientists have performed studies and have found out that the caterpillars’ bands are affected by other factors such as the species, food source, natural conditions and age. 

So, if you want to believe in the folklore or not is up to you.  It doesn’t hurt to check out the caterpillars and see what they might be telling you.  Maybe they will be right.  This year the caterpillars that I have found all have a large brown section so, here’s hoping to a mild winter. 

The caterpillar pictured only has 13 segments, 7 are brown and 6 are black. There are 5 dark stripes on the front of the caterpillar and only 2 on the rear. So, according to folklore the beginning of this winter should be harsh and the end of it not so bad.