One of The Mermaids noticed this caterpillar, after our latest kayak expedition, under the willow tree by the boat launch.
It was just chilling there on one of the paddles.
I’ve looked it up on whatsthatbug.com but can’t find an identified picture which matches the patterns and markings.
Could be a Tomato Hornworm or a Sphinx Hornworm.
I did see an exact match on a flickr site (google image search for [caterpillar “blue horn”]) but that guy thinks it’s a hummingbird moth caterpillar.
I think that’s wrong based on what I’ve seen.
Any takers want to identify this beauty?
blief 
Can’t, don’t wanna, but I am itching now and heading for the shower:)
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Send the photo to the WhatsThatBug web site. They’ll identify it for you.
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Its a Eyed Hawk-moth caterpillar
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I’m all but certain that it’s the caterpillar of a Hummingbird Clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe). Coloration can vary (and it may be another Hummingbird Moth or a different variety of Sphinx Moth), but that’s my strong bet. We have seen both Hummingbird Clearwing Moths (diurnal moths often taken for hummingbirds) and these caterpillars on our property recently. I know this post is a year old, but would it be possible to get a higher resolution file of this photograph? I’d be glad to send some to you as well. Thanks, Chris Madden, New Canaan Nature Center
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In researching a new submission to our site today of a pink Sphinx Caterpillar with a blue horn, we encountered your posting where you state you searched our site to no avail. We believe your caterpillar, like the submission we just received, is a Great Ash Sphinx, Sphinx chersis. Please see:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2015/08/18/great-ash-sphinx-caterpillar-3/
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