I found the same thing a few years back ! I cant remember what it was but i remember it was not good ! Not caterpillars ...

I found those or something close to them on box elder maple last week. What emerged from them still has me perplexed. It was aphids or something that passed for aphids (looked at them with my microscope). They were bright red. The pupal stage I observed does not jive with the aphid life cycle I was taught in entomology class. Weird.

MissSherry, I think they are the eggs of some species of Leaf-Footed Bug. Some feed on passion vines and pierce the fruit with their proboscis. The eggs closely resemble the squash bug eggs I found on my squash, but thru further research I discovered they were the LFBs. They won't eat the caterpillars, but will munch on your vine.

Susan

Hmmmm......thanks, alch21, KC, and Susan!
It's interesting that you said they were some type of leaf-footed bug, Susan, because I found out that those pyramid-shaped, pearly looking eggs I find from time to time are leaf-footed bugs, also. That type of bug is very common here, I see them everywhere, so it figures.

I guess I could bring them in and see for myself - maybe I'll do that.

Sherry