Explanation, Caveats, Acknowlegements, and References ALL images on this site are copyrighted (see below).

This site is intended for persons interested in caterpillars and the moths or butterflies they turn into. With this in mind we have attempted to add features that will be of use to caterpillar fans of all sorts. The KEY to identifying particular caterpillars was developd by Lee Dyer with suggestions for improvement added by Grant Gentry. It is based on larval keys developed by Stehr.   Caveats: I am responsible for this sites content, ie. taxonomy, typos, etc. If you percieve an error on the page please inform me at ggentry@tulane.edu. This site is not comprehensive! It will get larger as time goes on. If you don't find what you are looking for here see the links provided or contact an extension agent, entomologist, or local butterfly and moth oriented organization. The authors of the page have no official position on whether or not to collect and rear caterpillars. If you do collect them, don't be a pig please. Also, many persons (including several of the authors of this page) consider rearing caterpillars to be a responsibility, like having a pet. If you rear, please be sure to feed your caterpillar pets. If you don't have the time, or forget to feed them, please let them go. We do not reccommend that you rear stinging caterpillars. If you decide to rear stinging caterpillars be very careful because some persons have bad reactions to caterpillar stings or the hairs released when caterpillars pupate. There are lots of caterpillars out there to rear that don't sting. We are very pro-butterfly gardens. The more spaces that grow caterpillar friendly (usually native) plants in the landscape, the more butterflies we get to have around our cities and towns in Louisiana. If you want to try your hand at growing a butterfly garden, see the associated links and list of groups.   Contacts: Grant Gentry- ggentry@tulane.edu, Lee Dyer- ldyer@tulane.edu   Acknowledgements: Natural History: Frances Weldon, Grant Gentry, John O. Stireman, Collection, Rearing: Grant Gentry, Malia Fincher, Mark Tobler, John O. Stireman, Clark Pearson, Angela Smilanich, Michael Olson, Brittany Bernik, Lee Dyer Taxonomy: David Wagner, John Stireman, Grant Gentry, Lee Dyer Photos: Grant Gentry, Malia Fincher, Lee Dyer (Please contact Grant Gentry or Lee Dyer for permission to use images for any purpose OTHER than teaching. Please mention the site if your students like the pictures.) Key: Lee Dyer, Grant Gentry Site Design: Grant Gentry with much valuable input from Malia Fincher, Lee Dyer Page Design: Brittany Bernik, and as noted on page. Database Management: Jessica Vargas   References: Scientific and Common Names of Host Plants are from: Vines, Robert A. 1960. Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of the Southwest. University of Texas Press, Austin.   Initial Identifications of Butterfly and Moth caterpillars and adults were made using: Brock, Jim P. and Kenn Kaufman 2003. Butterflies of North America. Houghton Mifflin, Singapore. Covell Jr., Charles V. 1984. Eastern Moths; Petersons Field Guides. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Howe, William H. 1975. The Butterflies of North America. Doubleday and Company, New York Opler, Paul A., Harry Pavulaan, and Ray E. Stanford (coordinators). 1995. Butterflies of North America. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/bflyusa.htm (Version 12DEC2003). Stehr, Wagner, David L., Valerie Giles, Richard C. Reardon, and Michael L. McManus. 1997. Caterpillars of Eastern Forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, West Virginia. FHTET-96-34. 113 pp. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/insects/cateast/cateast.htm (Version 11APR2001). (Website) Wagner, David L., Giles, Valerie, Reardon, Richard C., and Michael L.McManus 1997. Caterpillars of Eastern Forests; Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. United States Department of Agriculture FHTET-96-34. Wagner, David L., Ferguson, Douglas C., McCabe, Timothy L., and Richard C. Reardon 2001. Geometrid Caterpillars ofNortheastern andAppalachian Forests; Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. United States Department of Agriculture FHTET-2001-10. and were subsequently checked with the appropriate taxonomists, websites, or collections.   Parasitoid Identifications were initially made using Shewell, G.E. 1987. Chapter 108. Sarcophagidae. pp. 1159-1191 in McAlpine, J.F., et al. (Eds.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 2. Agriculture Canada Monograph 28: i-vi, 675-1332. Wharton, Robert A., Marsh, Paul M., and Michael J. Sharkey 1997. Manualof the NewWorld Genera of the Family Braconidae (Hymenoptera); Special Publication of the International Societyof Hymenopterists Number 1. The International Society of Hymenopterists, Washington D.C. Wood, D.M. 1987. Chapter 110. Tachinidae. pp. 1193-1269 in McAlpine, J.F., et al. (Eds.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 2. Agriculture Canada Monograph 28: i-vi, 675-1332.

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