Which one is it? · Caterpillars & Bagworms
Which Florida Caterpillar or Bagworm Is This?
A stripped lawn, a chewed citrus leaf, a sting on bare skin, or a silk case hanging off a shrub — all point to different caterpillars. Compare every one we've verified against UF/IFAS, then read the ID guide for the closest match.
Heads up: the "bagworm" here (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis, the moth that hangs a silk-and-twig bag off a shrub) is a different insect than the "plaster bagworm" homeowners usually mean indoors — that one doesn't have a catalog entry yet. See our plaster bagworm guide for the indoor case-building larva.
Bagworm
Psychidae
Keep an eye on it
How to tell: A spindle-shaped bag made of silk and bits of leaf or twig, hanging from a branch
Buck Moth Caterpillar
Hemileuca maia
Keep an eye on it
- Venomous — don't touch
How to tell: Jet black when young, gradually lightening to a pale, almost whitish body as it matures
Citrus Leafminer
Phyllocnistis citrella
Keep an eye on it
How to tell: Silvery, winding (serpentine) tunnel just under the surface of young citrus leaves, usually on the underside
Fall Armyworm
Spodoptera frugiperda
Worth a pro look
How to tell: Lawn browns in patches seemingly overnight, uniform across a large area
Hag Moth Caterpillar
Phobetron pithecium
Keep an eye on it
- Venomous — don't touch
How to tell: Odd, flattened, brown, hairy shape that looks more like a bit of leaf debris or a shed spider skin than a caterpillar
Io Moth Caterpillar
Automeris io
Keep an eye on it
- Venomous — don't touch
How to tell: Bright green with a red-and-white racing stripe down each side
Monarch Caterpillar
Danaus plexippus
Helpful — leave it
- Toxic to pets
How to tell: Smooth body with bold black, white and yellow bands, no hairs or spines
Oleander Caterpillar
Syntomeida epilais
Keep an eye on it
How to tell: Bright orange body covered in tufts of long black hairs
Orange Dog (giant swallowtail caterpillar)
Papilio cresphontes
Keep an eye on it
How to tell: Mottled brown and green blotchy pattern that closely mimics a bird or lizard dropping
Polka-dot Wasp Moth
Syntomeida epilais (adult)
Harmless
How to tell: Dark, metallic blue-black wings covered in bright white polka dots
Puss Caterpillar
Megalopyge opercularis
Keep an eye on it
- Venomous — don't touch
How to tell: Looks like a tiny blonde toupee — completely furry, teardrop-shaped, about 2.5 cm
Saddleback Caterpillar
Acharia stimulea
Keep an eye on it
- Venomous — don't touch
How to tell: Bright green body with a brown, oval 'saddle' patch outlined in white in the center of the back
Tropical Sod Webworm
Herpetogramma phaeopteralis
Worth a pro look
How to tell: Small tan moths flush up in a zigzag pattern when you walk through or mow the lawn
Hornworm
Manduca spp.
Keep an eye on it
How to tell: Large, thick, bright green caterpillar that can grow up to about 4 inches long
Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Orgyia spp.
Keep an eye on it
- Can sting
How to tell: Distinct brush-like tufts of hair standing up in a row along the back
Still Not Sure Which One You Have?
Text a photo and a licensed local tech will help you identify it for free. Some look-alikes can only be told apart in person, so we'll say if it needs an inspection. Or get a real price online in about 60 seconds.