What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Yellow Shouldered Slug Moth Caterpillar parasitized by Braconid

Posted by December 21st, 2010 at 4:08 pm

Categories

Parasitic Hymenopterans, Stinging Slug Caterpillars

Tags

Green Round Bug
Location: knob noster missouri
December 21, 2010 3:43 pm
This bug was found on a oak leaf in Knob Noster MO in Aug. It had parasitic wasp eggs laid on its back. I think it may be a species of the tomato hornworm. The color is similar but it’s shaped different. It’s almost oval but, flat on the bottom. One end of it had a little bit of a caterpillar body that would come in and out. It was stuck to the leaf. when I got it off and looked at the under belly it had many legs. almost centipede like.
Signature: I’m just interested in the bug. Whatever is easier

slug cat braconids 300x227 Yellow Shouldered Slug Moth Caterpillar parasitized by Braconid

Slug Moth Caterpillar parasitized by Braconid

Your caterpillar is most likely a Yellow Shouldered Slug Moth Caterpillar, Lithacodes fasciola, and we agree that the parasites are Braconids.  We found a photo on BugGuide of a similar parasite/host relationship.

Related Posts

 

Comments 2

  1. Edith Smith wrote:

    Yellow-shouldered Slug Moth caterpillars are often parasitized with these brachnoids in north Florida. We see several of them with these parasitoids every year. If you’d like more photos of these, we would be glad to share them for your site.

    Posted 21 Dec 2010 at 5:16 pm
  2. bugman wrote:

    By all means, we would love your photos. Please use Parasitized Slug Caterpillars, or something equally descriptive, in the subject line when you send the images. Also, please use our question form and include any relevant information. Thank you for your offer.

    Posted 21 Dec 2010 at 7:19 pm

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.