If you have plants outside in the southeast, time to start inspecting for armyworm damage. I've found them eating various plants the past few yrs. I've seen this caterpillar eating MANY diff kinds of plants, both potted tropical succulents and temperate yard plants. Today it was Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.
Armyworms may be in other areas, I didn't research that. And not 100% sure of the ID of armyworm. A search for butterflies that would use Kalanchoe as host turned up no results, and it looks like armyworm, but there could be another one that looks similar enough to fool me. Help welcome if wrong!
Please try to ID caterpillars before destroying. Under the umbrella of cacti/succulents, I'm not familiar with any "real butterflies" that would use any of these plants as host for caterpillars, but it's probably possible. If one does happen to find a butterfly caterpillar munching on a plant one is not willing to donate to being a meal, there's probably another ground plant nearby to which it could be moved. Any info about temperate butterflies that might use tropical succulents as hosts would also be much appreciated!
