This caterpillar belongs to family Sphingidae (the “hawk moths"). It is a large family with about 200 genera and 1,400 species (there are reportedly 28 species of this caterpillar in California!). This genus of caterpillar is found in a great variety of climates, especially the tropics. These caterpillars have a voracious appetite and will eat just about any kind of vegetation. Sphingids are commonly called tomato or tobacco “worms.” But, they are not worms!
Classification
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
Order Lepidoptae
Family Spingidae
Genus Sphinx
Species: unidentified
Caterpillars are just one stage in the development of these creatures. They go from the pupa stage, to the caterpillar stage, and ultimately to the moth stage.
I found this particular specimen (dead) on a public sidewalk along the side of the garden at our house. I checked my garden and found no evidence of any sphinx caterpillar activity. Perhaps, this specimen was dropped there by a bird that just happened to roost in a large tree next to our garden.
Moths are some of the fastest flaying insects known and can fly as fast as 5.3 m/second! Furthermore, some moths can be the size of a hummingbird.
Two figures of the same specimen of Sphinx sp.: length 44 mm and width 10 mm. Upper image: left-side view (I know it looks backwards, but it is not---i.e., the horn is located at the rear of the animal). Bottom image: top view--notice the “horn” on the posterior end of this specimen.
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