Caterpillar ID pretty please
November 9, 2009
To my novice eyes this appears to be an early instar, but I’ve had no luck identifying which caterpillar it will grow up to be. I tried looking through your archives but didn’t see it. I don’t want to waste your time. Could you please help? It was chowing down on a Bur Oak in Austin, TX on Nov. 9, 2009. It is approximately 1 inch long. Thanks for your help! I really love your site and have referred to it often.
WTB Fan
Austin, TX
Juvenal's Duskywing Caterpillar
Dear WTB Fan,
We immediately recognized your unusual caterpillar as a Skipper in the family Hesperiidae, but we were amazed that in about fifteen seconds we identified it as a Juvenal’s Duskywing, Erynnis juvenalis. According to BugGuide, this wide ranging species has caterpillars that feed on the leaves of oaks.
Sulphur caterpillar rescue and cocoon
October 22, 2009
I think this is an orange barred sulphur based on photos I’ve seen. We rescued this caterpillar and it’s brother from a family member’s cassia tree (she was going to kill them!). I cried a little and she let me take them off and bring them home.
Anyway, we bought cassia bushes for them the next day and they both formed cocoons within 48 hours. So exciting!
Here’s the strange part: a few days later we looked at the bushes and there were five sulphur caterpillars! We’re completely stumped because we searched the bushes carefully everyday for eggs and there were none to be found. The caterpillars were all different sizes (including two full grown). Can caterpillars crawl from another place to a host tree? I thought they ate where they were hatched. Anyway, we’re so excited to have our first butterfly nursery. The new caterpillars look more like cloudless sulphurs, though.
Elizabeth from Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orange Barred Sulphur Caterpillar
Hi Elizabeth,
WE often have trouble distinguishing the Orange Barred Sulphur from the Cloudless Sulphur in the caterpillar phase. Phoebis philea, the Orange Barred Sulphur, which can be viewed on BugGuide, and its more widespread relative, the Cloudless Sulphur, Pheobis sennae, also viewable on BugGuide, both have variable caterpillars. It seems yellow caterpillars often are found feeding on the flowers and green caterpillars are found feeding on the leaves. Both are masters of camouflage. Caterpillars can grow quickly. It is entirely possible you missed the caterpillars on the Cassia plant when you purchased it, and we consider that to be far likelier than that the new caterpillars migrated from elsewhere. We would reserve exact species identification until the adults emerge.
Orange Barred Sulphur Chrysalis
What is this?
October 16, 2009
We found this on a dwarf orange tree in our yard today (October 16, 2009) and would like to know what it is. It had apparently eaten half a leaf in the morning. In the evening it was on another leaf, which it had begun to consume. It move it’s head vertically when I first moved my hand toward the leaf upon which it perched. We would love to know what it is. Thank you!
Dr. TJ
San Diego, CA
Orange Dog
Dear Dr. TJ,
This is an Orange Dog, the caterpillar of the spectacular Giant Swallowtail. We gladly sacrifice a few leaves on our citrus trees to be able to enjoy this beautiful butterfly in our garden. The resemblance of the Orange Dog to bird droppings is a camouflage mimicry device.
2
medium butterfly laying eggs on bean plant
September 25, 2009
I discovered this butterfly laying eggs on the two varieties of beans I have growing, a bush type and vine type. The bush type is planted next to a square of soy beans.
The insect is approximately 2 inches wide and their flight pattern is sporadic and jittery with a distinct blue color on her fuzzy bottom, with multi colored through primarily brown wings. I only got a good look while she was laying her eggs, perched on a bean leaf leaving behind a stack on pale yellow eggs (pin head size) on the underside of the leaf. I have found these stacks on the top, bottom, and sides of bush leaves.
Upon further investigation of the plants I discovered many catepillars or larvae nestled in leaf fold cocoons. These are also pictured they are yellow with dark (almost black) heads, two ‘big’ red eyes and tiny necks, tiny black feet closest to the head and yellow orange feet toward end, the larvae/catepillar is yellow in color and has an orange tinge at the rear.
I have included photos though I did not get a wing spread shot. In these you can see the eggs, larvae/catepillar, and butterfly resting on a bean leaf.
betty marie
Sarsota, Florida zone 9/10 for gardening
Long-Tailed Skipper laying Eggs
Hi betty marie,
We applaud your powers of observation. You have photographed a Long-Tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus. We are thrilled to have the photos of the egg laying process as well as the caterpillars. As your letter supports, the food for the caterpillar includes plants in the pea family. BugGuide has some wonderful images of this lovely species.
Long-Tailed Skipper Caterpillar
2
i can has parsley?
September 14, 2009
I was at my Grandmother’s today and I grabbed a quick shot of these guys chowing down. I believe I’ve correctly identified them via your site (because your description specifically mentions parsley!)
I hope you like this group shot of what I believe are Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars.
iphone photo:
Here’s my flickr entry:
Thanks for maintaining such a great site,
Casey
Black Swallowtail Caterpillars? or Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars???
Hi Casey,
Since you did not provide a location, we are not certain if these are Black Swallowtails or Anise Swallowtails. The caterpillars look very similar and both will feed on parsley. If you live in the central to eastern states, these are Black Swallowtails. If you are west of the Rocky Mountains, they are Anise Swallowtails.
Thanks.
I live in Georgia so they would be Black Swallowtails.
Thanks guys.
1
What’s That Bug?
September 8, 2009
in the back yard under a ovacado tree
not sure
from jalisco mexico
Swallowtail Caterpillar
Dear not sure,
This is a Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar “in the ‘ Pyrrhosticta ‘ group of Papilio swallowtails — P. cleotas ,P. garamas ,P. victorinus , etc.” as previously identified on our site by Keith Wolfe. The red horns are a defense organ known as the osmetrium that releases an odor some predators find offensive.
2
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