This caterpillar has a greenish-brown body, sparse hairs originating from raised black spots with white centers, and a black head. It is about 1 1/2 inches long. They feed on a variety of host plants, to include Honeysuckle. The adults have a wingspan of over an inch, with light brown forewings and orange or yellow hindwings. This species has multiple generations per year and usually overwinters as a pupa.
The abundance of this moth species is not yet known for our two nature centers. The caterpillars were seen in Fontenelle Forest in September, and many were seen at Neale Woods in mid-August on Wild Indigo (Baptisia alba) plants.
The larvae eat the leaves of many trees and shrubs, including apple, ash, dogwood, elm, hazel, hickory, maple, oak, rose and willow. The adult moths do not feed. Polyphemus caterpillars sometimes make a snapping sound with their mandibles. This species overwinters as a pupa in leaf litter. Some climb down the tree and crawl into the leaves while others spin their cocoons in a leaf and drop to the ground with the leaves in the fall. (Reference “Caterpillars of Eastern North America,” David L. Wagner).
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