Canadian Owlet Moth Caterpillar

Quite the impressive caterpillar. Caterpillar of the Canadian Owlet Moth (Calyptra canadensis). Native to most of Canada and the United States.

Adults have a wingspan of a bit less than 1.5 inches and are pale brown, looking much like a dried up leaf, a perfect camouflage.

The caterpillars of Canadian Owlet Moths feed exclusively on Meadow Rue (Thalictrum).

The coloring of the caterpillar, which I find appealing, is a warning coloration. A warning to predators that they have a very bad taste.

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Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.