Subject: Mystery Chubby Yellow and Green Caterpillar on Oak
Location: Southern Illinois
May 16, 2013 4:39 pm
I’m usually pretty good at larger and cuter caterpillar identification, but I’m stuck on this one. It is pretty early in the season, only been decent caterpillar-growing weather for the last two weeks or so. About an inch long on an oak tree. Suspect he has some more growing to do.
Signature: -Bert

Copper Underwing Caterpillar

Hi Bert,
We found a nearly identical image posted to BugGuide where this is identified as a Copper Underwing Caterpillar, Amphipyra pyramidoides.  The caterpillar is also called a Humped Green Fruitworm or Pyramidal Fruitworm, and BugGuide indicates:  “larvae are general feeders on leaves of many broadleaf trees and shrubs, including apple, basswood, hawthorn, maple, oak, walnut, raspberry, grape, greenbrier.”  Despite the name, this is not a true Underwing Moth which are in the genus Catocala.

Thanks very much. I thought it was much younger than it was, turns out they overwinter as eggs, so they get quite a jump on spring, and that one was nearly full-sized. Somewhat disappointed to see the adults are not very eye catching.

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Subject: Yellow-Brown Striped, Red Thorax, Black Head Caterpillar
Location: Singapore
February 3, 2013 4:48 am
Hi, I spotted this caterpillar at a concrete sheltered walkway near a field. Could you help me identify what type of bug does this caterpillar evolve into?
Thanks.
Signature: Nicholas Ho

Owlet Moth Caterpillar: Asota plana

Hi Nicholas,
We took a somewhat circuitous route, but we believe we have correctly identified your Owlet Moth Caterpillar.  We found a matching photo of your caterpillar on the Photography & Me:  Caterpillars:  The Loop and Hairy blog, but alas, it was not identified.  Next we found a photo on Lazy Lizard’s Tales:  Of moths and social media, and thanks to the bloggers obsessions with identifying it, we found a scientific name supplied by Siyang:  Asota plana.  This information was provided:  “The caterpillar of the moth, Asota plana, eats the leaves of this and other fig species (W. F. Ang, pers. comm; Figs. 19, 20). Although trees may lose most of their foliage from one such attack, they usually recover once the caterpillars pupate and emerge as adults to attack other trees.”  Nature Love You has photos of various stages of the development of Asota plana.  FlickR has several images including this on and this one.  Here is a photo of the adult moth from Papua Insects.

Hi Daniel,
Thanks for the awesome identification reply! This is indeed the same
type of caterpillars that I have spotted. I spent quite a bit of
effort for a few days to identify these caterpillars, but to no avail.
That’s when my friend suggested I try submitting an identification
request to your website. Do let me know if you would like to have more
pictures of these caterpillars for displaying on your website. I have
around 5-8 of them taken with my mobile phone camera.
Once again, thanks!
Cheers,
Nicholas Ho

Hi Nicholas,
Any photos of the caterpillars feeding on the food plants would be great.  If you don’t have that, send your best few and we will add to the posting.

Hi Daniel,
Apologies for the delay in reply.
Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to catch them on the leaves.
I have attached all that I captured on that day. Hope you are able to find more nicer shots to add to your site.
Have a happy Lunar New Year~
Cheers,
Nicholas Ho

Owlet Moth Caterpillar

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Subject: what is this
Location: Jasper. Alabama 35501
October 16, 2012 12:08 pm
Can you tell me what type of bug this is
Signature: robin farley

Curve Lined Owlet Caterpillar

Dear Robin,
At first we thought this was a Filament Bearer or Horned Spanworm, but we soon realized, upon viewing images on BugGuide, that your caterpillar is a Curve Lined Owlet Caterpillar, Phyprosopus callitrichoides, and that it is “uncommon.”

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Subject: Cucullia caterpillars?
Location: Idledale, Colorado
September 6, 2012 10:23 am
Greetings! One of our park visitors recently shared these photos with us, and asked for help identifying these caterpillars. These photos were taken at a park in the foothills of Colorado, along a riparian corridor. The caterpillars were 2 inches long, and all seemed to be on the purple asters. After doing some research, I think I’ve narrowed it down to Cucullia… could you let me know if that’s correct, and also if you might have any additional information or even a species identification? Many thanks!
Signature: Amanda Peterson, Jefferson County Open Space

Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar

Hi Amanda,
We are in perfect agreement with your identification of this very distinctive caterpillar.  This is a Hooded Owlet Caterpillar in the genus Cucullia, and we believe the species is Cucullia dorsalis, based on the photos posted to BugGuide which lists the range as ” western Rocky Rountains and the Great Basin.”

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And who do we have here?
Location: North Texas
April 15, 2012 12:12 am
Found this in Wichita Falls,Tx. Seen a lot around but would like to know what I’m seeing. THANKS
Signature: Brian

Eight Spotted Forester Caterpillar

Hi Brian,
This is the caterpillar of an Eight Spotted Forester, Alypia octomaculata, and we just posted a photo of the adult moth last week that was also from Texas.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae feed on leaves of grape (Vitis spp.), peppervine (Ampelopsis spp.), and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).  Adults take nectar from flowers of herbaceous plants, and fly during the day.”

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Caterpillar I can’t identify!
Location: College Station, Texas
April 5, 2012 7:38 pm
Salutations! I was out in my backyard when I noticed this caterpillar on my blackberry bush. The paddle shaped ”setae” (they might not be hairs, hence the quotes) are really distinctive, but I couldn’t find anything that looks like it! I can send more pictures if you want.
Signature: Meaghan P.

Caterpillar of Wilson's Wood-Nymph

Ed. Note  Our automated response:  Thank you for submitting your identification request.   Please understand that we have a very small staff that does this as a labor of love. We cannot answer all submissions (not by a long shot). But we’ll do the best we can!

9:31 PM
I asked some people at the Entomology department here at the university I attend, and they have identified the wee-beastie as Wilson’s Wood-nymph Moth (Xerociris wilsonii).
Cheers,
Meaghan P.

Hi Meaghan,
We are sorry we didn’t get back to you but we are very happy you got a correct identification.  We will be posting your photo of the Caterpillar of Wilson’s Wood-nymph Moth and linking to the BugGuide page for the species.

Caterpillar of Wilson's Wood-Nymph

Hi Daniel-
No apologies needed!  I love your website and I was SO excited to have something to send in.  Hope you all have a great weekend!
Regards,
Meaghan P.

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