Catalpa dilemma

[Rev. Redmond Farrier]

I found this girl laying her eggs on my lightsheet last night.
First I want to make sure that I am not misidentifying her. This is C. catalpa right?
If I have the correct id, then I am presented with another problem. I do not have access to a catalpa tree (called catawba worm trees around here). Apparently she couldn't find one either since she was laying her eggs on my sheet. Is there any alternative food source, or were her eggs laid in vain?

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As far as I know they will only take catalpa, but you can try Willow, as many species will accept it just fine

Thadeos

[oehlkew]

Rev,
Correct speilling is Ceratomia catalpae in case you are making labels.
As far as I know Catalpa trees are the only larval hosts. So either there
are Catalpa trees nearby or the larvae are utilizing something else, unknown to breeders/collectors.
You reported same species on September 24, 2011, so there must be healthy populations in your area, feeding on something!

I just looked on internet to see which plants in Bignoniaceae family can be found in Georgia and one site lists Bignonia capreolata, (crossvine) a perennial vine, which looks nothing like a typical catalpa tree.
Perhaps the larvae utilize that as a host.
Maybe you can find that plant. A long shot, but worth a try.

Bill Oehlke

[Rev. Redmond Farrier]

Thanks for the info. I know that there are plenty of catalpa trees in this area. I just don't know where any are that are not on private property or property that I would be allowed access to. There was a tree on my property when I was a child, but it was killed by the goats that my uncle once tried to raise. C. catalpae are often raised in this area to be sold as fish bait. The trees are sold specifically for that purpose. They are treated just like any fruit tree except that the "fruit" in this case is catawba worms.

[boogtwo]

Some more possibilities even closer related to catalpa might be worth a try from the same tribe - Tecomeae if they occur in GA.

Genera:
Argylia - Astianthus - Campsidium - Campsis - Catophractes - Chilopsis - Cybistax - Delostoma - Deplanchea - Digomphia - Dinklageodoxa - Dolichandrone - Ekmanianthe - Fernandoa - Godmania - Haplophragma - Heterophragma - Incarvillea - Jacaranda - Lamiodendron - Markhamia - Neosepicaea - Newbouldia - Pajanelia - Pandorea - Paratecoma - Pauldopia - Perianthomega - Perichlaena - Podranea - Radermachera - Rhigozum - Romeroa - Santisukia - Sparattosperma - Spathodea - Spirotecoma - Stereospermum - Tabebuia - Tecoma - Tecomanthe - Tecomella - Zeyheria