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.
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Posted 11 November 2009
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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
Green caterpillar
Hello,
I am normally pretty good with bugs but graduated college before I had a chance to take the immatures course. There are about a dozen of these caterpillars that are bright green with brownish heads and small, bright orange eye spots encasing themselves on my false-indigo plant. I am assuming they are moths because they appear to be ready to spin cocoons, and not likely sphinx moths because there is no anal horn. Can you tell me what these might be and if they are possibly pests?
Thanks!
Columbia, MO
Amy
Silver Spotted Skipper Caterpillar
Hi Amy,
We are very thrilled to receive your great photo of a Silver Spotted Skipper Caterpillar, Epargyreus clarus. You can get more information about the species on BugGuide. Skippers are classified as butterflies, but many books, especially older books, consider them to be transitional between butterflies and moths in that they have characteristics of both.
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Posted 21 September 2008
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Strange Caterpillar
Found this in the yard – Northern Alabama. Light green body, dark purple head and weird orange eyes!! Cool looking, alien! What is it? Thanks!
Mike
Hi Mike,
This very distinctive caterpillar belongs to a butterfly called the Silver Spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus.
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Posted 18 February 2007
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