I’m often asked if the worms will kill the trees. The answer is no. Catalpa worms are the larva of the catalpa sphinx moth. They feed on nothing in the world but catalpa foliage.

The Catalpa worm is specific to the Catalpa tree, with the first hatch from eggs laid in March to April by the adult Catalpa sphinx moth.

Fishing with the caterpillar of the Catalpa Sphinx Moth. The use of the Catalpa Worm as fish bait may be as old as the American Indian groups who once populated Alabama. The caterpillar of the ...

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.

The worms are actually the caterpillar form of the catalpa sphinx moth, and they grow in a huge web well up into the tree, usually starting in mid-June and running into early July.

'Healthy catalpa trees can withstand complete defoliation by catalpa worms and will often push out a second set of leaves if defoliation happens early in the season,' says PennState Extension.

If you are a fisher person, then you might know that Catalpa worms (the caterpillar of catalpa sphinx moth), make a great bait. There are a few cultivars of Catalpa in the trades.

Unlike gypsy moth caterpillars which can defoliate and eventually kill oak trees, the connection between catalpa worms and catalpa trees is far less lethal as the tree appears to suffer little harm.

The catalpa worm really isn’t a worm at all, but the caterpillar of the catalpa sphinx moth, a pretty little nocturnal insect few Arkansans ever see in its adult form.

The search for worms begins in finding a catalpa tree. The catalpa tree can be identified by large leaves that have an almost heart-shaped appearance.

The catalpa worm is found only on catalpa trees and typically appears in late June or early July for about two to three weeks. Known by many local names, like “talpy worms,” “taffy worms ...