The caterpillar of the Tulip-tree Beauty Moth is often seen when it is green with white or yellow broken pin-stripes. The head is yellow and the third segment behind it is swollen, as if inflated. There are a few color variations though, so it may be an orange-brown color with a matching head color. Some have pale bodies with dark brown mottling on each segment, more akin to snakeskin coloration.
Look for the caterpillar in the warmer, southern states where native tulip-tree poplars and paw paw trees are found. In the northern parts of its range, poplars are a common host tree.©CaterpillarIdentification.org
The map above showcases (in blue) the states and territories of North America where the Tulip-tree Beauty Moth Caterpillar may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.*NOTE: States/Territories shown above are a general indicator of areas inhabited by the Tulip-tree Beauty Moth Caterpillar. Insects generally go where they please, typically driven by diet, environmental changes, and / or mating habits.
