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Imperial Moth Caterpillar: Harmless Giant on Your Deck

That 3-inch, smooth, orange "worm" is an imperial moth caterpillar (Eacles imperialis). Color varies—green, red, cinnamon, brown—possibly influenced by host-plant foliage. They look fearsome but are harmless. The adult moth is large and spectacular.

About Gardening: Tamarack: The Deciduous Conifer That Loses Needles in Fall; Confirming Shortleaf Pine and Measuring DBH Correctly; Possible Crybaby Tree (Erythrina) in Phoenix: Need Clearer Photos; Tree Fungus Identification and Management: A Gardener's Guide; Poplar Tree Identification: 6 Species by Leaf, Bark & Form; Imperial Moth Caterpillar: A Harmless Giant Worth Admiring; Formosan Sweetgum Identified on UGA Campus; Bleeding Canker on Tree Trunk: Monitor, Don't Treat; Skiff Moth Caterpillar: Harmless Slug-Like Larva; Chinaberry Tree: Weed or Wildlife Resource?

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