Weird bugs in the yard more and more

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So recently I found a saddleback caterpillar in the yard (though I didn't identify it until just now) and just a couple days ago one of the weirdest moths I have ever seen was on the front door. Just found out it's a saddleback - wouldn't be surprised if it was the adult of the larvae I'd recently seen in the yard.

Today it was an Io moth caterpillar... Where are these things coming from? I also found two different wasp nests (different types) and while one is out of the way, the other (larger one) is in a tree I was trying to prune. As far as I can recall I have never been stung by anything. This morning my hand brushed the Io (eye-oh) while I was pulling down a nuisance vine.

I didn't even realize I had been stung until I saw the caterpillar sitting atop the trash can where I'd been placing all the plant material I cleared (yeah, I know, but the compost is full and I don't want those vines in there).

I just shared the cat photos in another thread, but I'll post them here again with their moths:

acharia_stimulea01.jpg


acharia_stimulea03.jpg


That saddleback moth is just creepy, lol. I couldn't get a good photo of my own the other day, but the one above gives a good idea of what it looks like.

A good source of info on these: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/saddleback_caterpillar.htm
 
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That initial post was getting long so I decided to continue with the Io in a separate post. Found an image that shows all of it's stages on the deviant art web site: http://lepidopteralife.deviantart.com/art/IO-Moth-Lifecycle-189771728

io_moth_lifecycle_by_lepidopteralife-d34zgsw.jpg


The site didn't have any info though, just the image. The moth is actually kind of pretty and the caterpillar feeds on that nuisance vine (you should see it chomping away!) There's just not a lot of benefit (so far) for me to want to keep either around. (No, I didn't kill it.)

This one ranks really high on lists of stingers to avoid!
 
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Those are quite freakish looking creatures! If I saw this in my yard, it would make me always use gloves, long pants and shirt sleeves. That first one is from another planet!

You might want to study up on how to deal with that wasp nest. They can become aggressive as their natural food supply starts to dwindle at the end of summer, especially if you're doing things around their nest.
 
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Those are quite freakish looking creatures! If I saw this in my yard, it would make me always use gloves, long pants and shirt sleeves. That first one is from another planet!

You might want to study up on how to deal with that wasp nest. They can become aggressive as their natural food supply starts to dwindle at the end of summer, especially if you're doing things around their nest.


That is exactly what I thought the first time I saw that saddleback caterpillar and moth. Those are the kind of critters that inspire horror movies, lol!

I read something about bunching up brown paper bags to look like fake wasp nests that I plant to try next to the caterpillar habitat. Surprisingly the wasps by the fence weren't bothered by me even though I got dangerously within inches of them several times. The ones in the tree didn't even seem phased by the shaking of the branch, just kept going on about their business.

I am going to need a saw and a second pair of hands to cut the branch and move it to a corner of the yard where the nest won't be a problem. I thought of blasting them with water from the hose, but why antagonize them unnecessarily? They are doing their job as pollinators so they can stay as long as they leave me monarch and swallowtail caterpillars alone.
 
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I've seen some interesting looking caterpillars on my trees, but nothing like those. I never realised there were caterpillars that can sting people so I know to be careful next time I see something unusual that I'd like to photograph.

The saddleback moth is really ugly, but the Io moth and the caterpillars are beautiful.

Gardening and photography are two hobbies that go really well together. :)
 
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So true! I could have photographed a bunch of dragonflies this morning, but the card ran out of storage space and I was still working in the yard so I had to let the photos go for the moment. I know there are a bunch of "accidents" I can delete, like when I was holding the camera and brushed the screen and ended up with an image of the palm of my hand.

Have to get ready for the emerging monarchs this weekend! I may have as many as 4 butterflies out at once.
 
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In my opinion both the saddleback moth and and the caterpillars are totally creepy. Just the pictures are enough to scare me:eek: . Fortunately, I've never seen creatures like this in my garden. If I did, I would run away. I know, I'm a coward... but I can't help it:p
The Io moth is quite pretty though, it looks almost like a butterfly:)
 
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I just re-read your post. The caterpillar actually made effort to sting you, or did you just make contact with one of the needles?

I still can't imagine how something so exotic got into your garden, unless they're common where you live.
 
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I just re-read your post. The caterpillar actually made effort to sting you, or did you just make contact with one of the needles?

I still can't imagine how something so exotic got into your garden, unless they're common where you live.


It was minding it's own business when I yanked down the vine it was chewing on. I barely had contact with it; just enough to make the back of my hand tingle and make me wonder how the vine that never bothered me before was suddenly an issue. I went inside and put my hand under cold water and it stopped the sting.

My hand must have brushed along the length of it. Funny thing is, I almost put a glove on this morning. I'm going to have to get a pair that actually protects you from stuff like that; something with a bit of thickness, at least on the top of the hand.
 
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We don't have anything so exotic looking here. The southern US has such a rich number of insects. Thanks or sharing. I've never seen anything so intriguing.
 
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We don't have anything so exotic looking here. The southern US has such a rich number of insects. Thanks or sharing. I've never seen anything so intriguing.


Hi, Jewell, and welcome! I see you're brand new to the garden forum. What corner of the world is "here"?
 
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ChanellG, thanks for the welcome. I'm up in the northwest corner of the US. Puget Sound region of WA state. Love seeing your photos of the caterpillar and moth. WOW!
 
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ChanellG, thanks for the welcome. I'm up in the northwest corner of the US. Puget Sound region of WA state. Love seeing your photos of the caterpillar and moth. WOW!


Wow is right, lol! I never expected to see either of those in my own backyard. That saddleback moth is otherworldly, lol! I'm guessing you do well with the cool weather crops up your way. I'm having to shift a lot of stuff around in the heat here, and when it rains...
 
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Yikes! I think that would scare me and bugs don't usually scare me! I can even handle spiders around me, but if I ever saw that thing I would be freaked out :eek: It just looks like it is full of sharp pointy needles that would hurt no matter where you touched it.
 
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Yikes! I think that would scare me and bugs don't usually scare me! I can even handle spiders around me, but if I ever saw that thing I would be freaked out :eek: It just looks like it is full of sharp pointy needles that would hurt no matter where you touched it.


LOL, I guess because each situation was more or less isolated it doesn't worry me. Right now I am more concerned with the wasps in my yard. There is at least one that has been after my monarch caterpillars. It attacked one while I was redoing the habitat and has kept coming back since. I've found one inside the enclosure several times now, but it looks like the last caterpillar finally pupated, thankfully.
 

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