Squeaky toy caterpillars

[Jim Mason]

My cats found a hornworm in the backyard yesterday that gives out a wheezy
little squeak when poked!  Of course it also flexes its body at the same
time, as it attempts to hook its tormentor with its tail horn.  It is about
2 inches long and is rather plainly marked, but it does have a distinctive
backward-slanted "helmet" on top of its head.  I have saved it for rearing,
but does anybody know which one this might be and how many other "squeaky
toy caterpillars" there are?  Has anybody studied how the little guys are
able to produce their sound?  It was on the ground under my pecan tree.  I
have jpegs and mpegs of it if anyone is interested.  (You can't hear the
squeak however!)

It doesn't look like the Walnut Sphinx cat as shown on:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/2000/cateast/cresjugl.htm

Jim Mason, Naturalist
jmason at ink.org
(316) 683-5499 x103
Great Plains Nature Center
6232 E. 29th St. N.
Wichita, KS 67220-2200
http://www.gpnc.org




 
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