Unknown Caterpillar from Japan

bugman

August 21st, 2010 at 9:07 am

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red hairy caterpillars devouring my plum tree
Location: Yamanashi, Japan
August 20, 2010 10:25 pm
I found these red, hariy caterpillars devouring my plum tree. I live in Yamanashi, Japan, and haven’t been able to identify these guys. They are about 3 cm long,”stand at attention” when threatened, and loved the leaves on my plum tree. They seem to be able to make a sliken thread to hang on to the leaf if I try to knock them off. On the same tree, on the reverse side of a leaf, I also found some peculiar red and black beetle-like bugs, surrounding what appear to be a groupf of very small, pearly white eggs. My concerns are: are the caterpillars dangerous, and what are the names of my bugs? I’d so appreciate any help you can give! I can send more pics if needed.
Thanks, Melony Ward

Unknown Caterpillar from Japan

Hi Melony,
We do not recognize your caterpillar and we were unable to identify it in a quick internet search. Perhaps one of our readers will have better luck. Your other bugs are newly hatched Stink Bugs.

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Comments 3

Norie wrote:
According to this website http://aoki2.si.gunma-u.ac.jp/youtyuu/
it looks like it’s a Phalera flavescens　caterpillar.
It’s called “Monkuro-Shachihoko” in Japanese.
Posted 22 Aug 2010 at 9:14 am ¶
bugman wrote:
The caterpillar in the photo on the link you provided looks nothing like the caterpillar we posted. Also, the site is in Japanese, and we cannot understand how to navigate it. A photo we located on Wikipedia does look like the photo submitted to us.
Posted 22 Aug 2010 at 5:52 pm ¶
Norie wrote:
Oh, I guess it wasn’t a direct link to “Phalera flavescens” pictures on the website. I can’t seem to get a link to the specific page (only get the link to the top page). I am sorry for the confusion.
Posted 23 Aug 2010 at 10:54 am ¶