Anticarsia gemmatalis is a tropical species of caterpillar and moth that migrates north each season.

The species can commonly be found in the Gulf states, north as far as Wisconsin.

The caterpillars are black or green, with narrow lighter stripes on the back and sides.

They spit out a brownish substance, spring into the air and wriggle a lot when they are disturbed.

[2] Egg viability was highest at 25 °C (77 °F) and adaptation to higher temperatures did not occur over a three generation observation.