The Catawba Worm
Full Answer
What is a Catawba Worm?
The Catawba worm is the larva of the sphinx moth. This black and yellow caterpillar infests the catalpa tree and feeds off of the tree leaves. It is considered a pest mainly because the catalpa tree is popular for it’s magnificent wood that is used for fine cabinetry. The catalpa tree belongs to the family Bignoniceae.
What does a Catawba caterpillar look like?
Also called catalpa worms, the caterpillars are typically dark-colored or black with a yellow underside in their last instar. The long, plump catawba caterpillars have black lines of dots on their back as well as dots on their yellow sides.
What do Catalpa worms look like?
Additionally, catalpa worms are the only sphinx moth caterpillars that feed gregariously through the third and sometimes fourth instar. Figure 2a. Young catalpa worms showing white coloration with small black spots. Photograph by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren via Flickr, cropped and used under a CC BY 2.0 license. Figure 2b.
What is the black worm on my catalpa tree?
Catawba Worm. The Catawba worm is the larva of the sphinx moth. This black and yellow caterpillar infests the catalpa tree and feeds off of the tree leaves. It is considered a pest mainly because the catalpa tree is popular for it’s magnificent wood that is used for fine cabinetry. The catalpa tree belongs to the family Bignoniceae.
See more
What does a catawba worm turn into?
Caterpillars that are parasitized should be left on the tree in order to allow the parasitoids to emerge. In the fall or early spring, after the caterpillars burrow into the soil to pupate and before the adult moths emerge, the soil around the tree can be tilled in an effort to destroy the pupae.
What time of year do catawba worms come out?
The catalpa worm is found only on catalpa trees and typically appears in late June or early July for about two to three weeks.
What are catalpa worms good for?
Catalpa worms, which actually are caterpillars, make great fishing bait for bluegills and bass. They are the larvae of the catalpa sphinx moth and they come in two colors — light and dark.Catalpa worms, which actually are caterpillars, make great fishing bait for bluegills and bass.
Can catawba worms sting you?
Ok, if you already know it is a catalpa worm, then it is NOT poisonous, OR venomous. 'Poisonous' means something is toxic if it is ingested (eaten). 'Venomous' means its bite or sting is dangerous. Catalpa worms eat ONLY catalpa, so it won't eat if it is not on that tree.
How do I get catalpa worms on my trees?
Spread a bed sheet or tablecloth under a tree; then use a long cane pole to slap the leaves. This produces a shower of falling worms. Once they're grounded, it's simply a matter of picking them up and putting them in a cool container with a few catalpa leaves, and it's time to go fishing.
Do birds eat catalpa worms?
Catalpa worms build up a chemical compound from their diet of catalpa leaves that makes them distasteful to most species of birds, but the yellow billed cuckoo is an exception. Cuckoos enjoy a specialized diet of caterpillars, and they relish catalpa worms.
What kind of butterfly does a catawba worm turn into?
Pest Status, Damage: Catalpa trees are occasionally planted intentionally to produce caterpillars, sometimes called “catawba worms” for fish bait; caterpillars, immature stages of a hawk moth, feed on leaves.
What kind of tree do catawba worms grow on?
catalpa treesCatalpa is the only know host of the catalpa sphinx including native northern and southern catalpas as well as Chinese catalpa. All are occasionally planted as an ornamentals. Catalpa worms feed exclusively on catalpa trees, sometimes completely defoliating them.
Where can I find catalpa worm?
catalpa treesThe catalpa worm is found only on catalpa trees and typically appears in late June or early July for about two to three weeks.
How do I get rid of catalpa worms?
Favored by anglers since the late 1800's, Catalpa worms are controlled through removal as well as by chemical means. The pesticide carbaryl is widely recommended for control. Put on gloves before beginning manual removal of Catalpa worms.
What is a catalpa worm?
Catalpa worms are occasional pests that may defoliate catalpa trees during outbreak years. However, they are a native species that are attacked by a host of natural enemies, so control is often not warranted.
What color are catalpa caterpillars?
Older caterpillars are variable in color and can range from mostly yellow to almost entirely black, although most are black dorsally with a broad, yellow stripe on the side (Figures. 2a-c). Regardless of coloration, catalpa worms are the only species of sphinx moth that that feed on catalpa, so positively identifying the host plant can aid in ...
What is the most common parasitoid that attacks catalpa worms?
The most common parasitoid that attacks catalpa worms are Cotesia congregate wasps.
Where is the Catalpa Sphinx found?
This species has historically been found in Maine and northern New England but may now be absent from that region. Figure 1. Range of catalpa sphinx in North America. Map from Butterflies and Moths (2019).
Why should caterpillars be left on a tree?
Caterpillars that are parasitized should be left on the tree in order to allow the parasitoids to emerge. In the fall or early spring, after the caterpillars burrow into the soil to pupate and before the adult moths emerge, the soil around the tree can be tilled in an effort to destroy the pupae.
When are caterpillars present in Pennsylvania?
Caterpillars are present from May through November. Only one generation occurs in northern areas, including Pennsylvania, while up to five generations can occur in southern areas (e.g., Louisiana). Catalpa sphinx moths are a boom-and-bust species.
When do moths emerge from catalpa trees?
Pupae overwinter in soil around the base of the host tree. Adult moths begin to emerge in April and can be found through October. Masses of 100–1,000 eggs are laid on the underside of catalpa leaves. Caterpillars are present from May through November.
What is a catalpa worm?
Catalpa worms, also known as catawbas, are the caterpillar stage of the Sphinx moth. They attack catalpa trees and are recognized pests in many areas. However, catalpa worms are prized as catfish bait and some growers nurture trees just for harvesting and sales to fishermen. Like many other caterpillars, catalpas spend the winter underground in ...
How many eggs can a catalpa hatch from a single adult?
Females deposit eggs in a mass on the leaves’ undersides, abandoning their young afterward. A week later, up to 1,000 eggs can hatch from a single adult. In this stage, catalpas are recognized by a horn-like spike at the rear.
What makes catfish so attractive?
What makes them so appealing to catfish is what’s inside the catalpa worm. That is, the neon green goo that oozes out appears to be the fatal attraction. Experts report these “innards” are also aromatic, sending out sweet signals that many fish find attractive.
Do catalpa worms refoliate?
Only the last hatching in the fall leaves the pupae overwintering underground. Most trees can withstand several seasonal attacks from catal pa worms. They’ll refoliate quickly, although some show stress over time. Limbs may die back and in the case of unhealthy or immature trees, they may fail to thrive at all.
Is there a paywall for worms?
Many experts recommend no action is necessary. No Paywall Here! All About Worms is and always has been a free resource. We don't hide our articles behind a paywall, or make you give us your email address, or restrict the number of articles you can read in a month if you don't give us money.
What is the primary predator of catalpa worms?
Catalpa Worms and Braconid Wasps. The primary predator to catalpa worms is an endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia congregata , from the Braconidae family. These wasps lay eggs along the back of the caterpillar; after they’ve hatched, they feed on the worm itself, eventually killing it.
What is the caterpillar that strips the tree of its foliage?
Indoor Gardening. Urban Farms. Insects. Catalpa trees, with two species native to the United States, are known for their beautiful and plentiful blooms, as well as for being the sole source of food for catalpa worms — a caterpillar that strips the tree of its foliage and eventually becomes the catalpa sphinx moth.
What is a catalpa tree?
Some fishermen refer to the catalpa as the “fish bait tree,” and it has also been referred to as “cigar tree” or “bean tree,” because both the northern and southern species feature long, slender seed pods that look like a cigar or an unshelled long bean. The northern catalpa has pods that are slightly slimmer in diameter ...
How big are catalpa pods?
The northern catalpa has pods that are slightly slimmer in diameter and up to two feet in length, while the southern catalpa usually has pods less than 12 inches in length . Both varieties produce large, white, erect flowers. 1 .
Why are wasps beneficial to catalpa trees?
These wasps are beneficial to the catalpa trees and the ecosystem overall, because they help stop the worms from killing the tree.
What is the medicinal use of catalpa tree?
The southern catalpa tree also has medicinal uses, and a tea made from the bark has been used as an antiseptic, snake bite antidote, laxative, sedative, and to remove parasitic worms. This tea was also used as a substitute for quinine in treating malaria.
How long have catalpa trees been around?
Historically, catalpa trees have served a variety of uses and have been extensively propagated for more than 200 years. European settlers used the wood for fence posts, and railroad companies used it to make track ties and fuel wood.
What are the larvae of the Catawba worm?
Catawba Worms. Various instars of Catawba worms (Ceratomia catalpae) Catawba worms ( Ceratomia catalpae) are the larvae of the catalpa sphinx moth. The worms feed exclusively on catalpa tree leaves and munch their way through a tree’s foliage in a short time.
What do the seeds on a catalpa tree look like?
Masses of pods dangle from catalpa trees from fall through winter. The seed pods on catalpa trees look green and gradually turn dark brown. The pods contain winged seeds that float on breezes after the pods split open. Due to the unusual bean pods, catalpa trees have various common names.
How tall do catalpa trees get?
Northern catalpas are the largest of the species and grow between 50 and 70 ft. (15 – 21 m) tall.
What is the longest catalpa tree?
Northern catalpa tree seed pods are the longest of the trees in the genus Catalpa. The seed-containing pea-like capsules measure 8 to 20” (20 – 50 cm) long. Immature pods are green and gradually turn dark brown in the fall. In winter, the drooping brown seed pods look like dangling icicles.
How long are catalpa seed pods?
Northern catalpas have longer seed pods that can be 24” (60 cm) long, while the southern catalpa has 12-inch (30-cm) long se ed pods . Additionally, northern catalpas are cold-hardier than the southern species and can grow in USDA zones 4 – 8. Southern Catalpas are cold-hardy in zones 5 – 9.
What are some common names for catalpa trees?
Due to the unusual bean pods, catalpa trees have various common names. For example, ‘cigar tree,’ ‘bean tree,’ ‘Indian cigar tree,’ and ‘smoking bean tree’ are a few names for catalpas. Some people wonder if catalpa tree beans are poisonous. The catalpa seeds in the cigar-like pods are said to be non-toxic.
What are the characteristics of a catalpa tree?
A beautiful characteristic of catalpa trees is their masses of showy white spring flowers. Catalpa flowers are in the shape of a trumpet or funnel and have papery white petals. The white flowers have purple patterned dots in the center and yellow spots. In mid to late spring, the clusters of flowers cover the tree’s foliage.
Common Names
Scientific Name
Summary
- Catalpa worms are occasional pests that may defoliate catalpa trees during outbreak years. However, they are a native species that are attacked by a host of natural enemies, so control is often not warranted.
Distribution
- Catalpa sphinx are native to the eastern United States and can be found wherever catalpa trees occur from New Hampshire and Nebraska south to the Florida and Texas (Figure 1). This species has historically been found in Maine and northern New England but may now be absent from that region. Figure 1. Range of catalpa sphinx in North America. Map from Butterflies and Moths (20…
Description and Identification
- Like other sphinx moth caterpillars, catalpa worms possess a stiff "horn" near the end of the abdomen, which is relatively long, straight, and black compared to other species. Young caterpillars are mostly white with black spots. Older caterpillars are variable in color and can range from mostly yellow to almost entirely black, although most are bl...
Host Plants
- Catalpa worms feed exclusively on trees in the genus Catalpa, including native northern and southern catalpa (C. speciosa and C. bignonioides, respectively) as well as non-native species like Chinese catalpa (C. ovata) that are occasionally planted as ornamentals.
Life History
- Pupae overwinter in soil around the base of the host tree. Adult moths begin to emerge in April and can be found through October. Masses of 100–1,000 eggs are laid on the underside of catalpa leaves. Caterpillars are present from May through November. Only one generation occurs in northern areas, including Pennsylvania, while up to five generations can occur in southern are…
Control
- During non-outbreak years, natural enemies often exert enough control on catalpa worms that additional control measures are unnecessary or even detrimental as catalpa sphinx populations, especially in the south where multiple generations occur, may recover faster than natural enemies and outbreak sooner than they would have. Healthy catalpa trees can withstand complete defoli…
Uses
- Catalpa worms are sometimes used as fishing bait, especially in the southern US. They are apparently an excellent bait for largemouth bass and catfish and some dedicated fishermen have been known to drive many miles or plant small groves of catalpa trees in order to secure a ready supply of catalpa worms. A patent for preserving live catalpa worms for bait was filed in 2003.
References
- Bowers, M.D. 2003. Hostplant suitability and defensive chemistry of the catalpa sphinx, Ceratomia catalpa. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 29(10): 2359–2367. Butterflies and Moths of North America, catalpa sphinx.2017. Lotts, K. and T. Naberhaus (coordinators). Catalpa ovata.2019. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder. Coder, K.M. 2018. Important tree species – Southern ca…