The Catalpa Tree and Its Caterpillers

By Steve Nix, About.com Guide

The larval stage of Ceratomia catalpae is known as the catalpa or catawba Worm. When first hatched, these larvae are a very pale color, but become darker toward the last instars. The yellowing caterpillars will usually have a dark, black stripe down their back along with black dots along their sides.

They grow to a length of about two inches and feed on the leaves of the Northern catalpa and, more commonly, the Southern catalpa. The fully developed caterpillar has a conspicuous black spine or horn on the back at the insect's rear. Catalpa sphinx moth caterpillar is usually plump with forage and are beautiful when mostly yellow with black lines and spots in the last color phase. They are highly desired by fisherman as bait.

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• A Naturalized Catalpa Tree
• The Adaptable Catalpa Tree
• Catalpa Characteristics
• The Catalpa Fruit
• A Catalpa Worm Infestation
• The Catalpa Sphinx Moth
• Fishing with Catalpa Worms

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