rss Caterpillar Mystery
Location: Central Texas (Ft. Hood)
April 9, 2011 8:34 pm
Hello,
I found this caterpillar on a low growing oak species in central Texas.
Any idea what it could be?
Thanks!
Signature: writerwren
Unidentified Caterpillar
Dear writerwren,
We are not having any luck trying to identify this caterpillar. It appears that it may have stinging spines. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide an identification.
Caterpillar
Hi I’d like ot know what kind of caterpillar this is… (Please see attached)
Thanks in advanced!
I live in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
Nick’s Photography & Video to bugman
Unknown Caterpillars from Florida
Hi Nick,
We have spent considerable time unsuccessfully trying to identify these Caterpillars. Can you provide any additional information on the sighting, including the plant they were feeding upon or observations on their behavior?
Well I can send u a picture of the tree they are feeding on… there are all over coming down and also dropping out of the tree… they also seem to be using around the truck of the tree as a sleeping haven also even all branches … Also we have a link for you to click on to view what ever talking about…
also the fresh leave are falling from the tree they are half chewed away and they also i c like the stem of the leaves so i have alot of fresh leave from every minute from the tree…They walk very fast!!!
http://homepage.mac.com/nicksphotovideo/Caterpillars/
Thanks
Nick
Daytona Beach, Florida
p.s. I will be also contacting the news on Monday….
Thanks for the additional information Nick. Having more photos to consider is wonderful. We suspected that this must be an unusual sighting due to the number of Caterpillars in your photo.
Unknown Caterpillar #2
Location: Gilbert, AZ 85233
April 2, 2011 3:04 am
Hi,
I also found this caterpillar on small flowers in my garden, I’m not sure the flower’s name, and I found it March 30. Gilbert, AZ.
Signature: Lindsey
Unknown Caterpillar
Dear Lindsey,
Try though we might, we have been unable to identify this Caterpillar. Perhaps one of our readers will have more luck. Knowing the food plant might make a difference in our ability to provide a proper identification.
Mystery Caterpillar
Location: Central Texas (Ft Hood Area)
April 9, 2011 8:14 pm
Hello,
I’m a field biologist working in central Texas and I stumble upon a lot of caterpillars during my work.
I found this particular one on a low growing oak species, possibly Shin Oak.
I was wondering if you might know what it is?
Thanks!
Signature: writerwren
American Lappet Moth Caterpillar
Dear writerwren,
We took a gamble and did a web search for “caterpillar red stripes” and we quickly identified your American Lappet Moth Caterpillar, Phyllodesma americana, on BugGuide which states: “Larva: body with blue, black/gray, white, and orange on the back, and densely hairy lobes (lappets) along sides; top of eighth abdominal segment with unpaired hump; when stretched out or alarmed, exposes bright orange band across top of second and third thoracic segments.” Here is an image on BugGuide that shows the two red stripes.
Caterpillar identification in Georgia
Location: Jackson, Georgia
April 8, 2011 9:01 am
Hi there, love your site!
I live in central Georgia, about midway between Atlanta and Macon. This little fella has been making his way across my deck for the past several days, and I’m fascinated (and becoming somewhat attached to it, I admit). I’ve searched your site pretty thoroughly, and can’t find anything resembling it. He’s very ”scaly” in appearance, about 2.5” long, and he moves so imperceptibly/slowly that I can’t really tell if you’d consider him an spanworm or not. Picture was taken by me this morning, April 8, 2011. Thanks so much!
Signature: Alex
Underwing Caterpillar
Hi Alex,
We believe this is the caterpillar of one of the Underwing Moths in the genus Catocala. Both the caterpillar and adult are masters of camouflage. The Caterpillars often resemble bark or lichens, and the adults have forewings that blend in with tree bark, but brightly colored underwings that show when the moth takes flight. A predator will try to find the brightly colored flying insect that blends into the bark when it comes to rest. We believe your specimen most closely resembles Catocala ilia which is pictured on BugGuide.
What kind of caterpillar?
Location: Summerville, South Carolina. Found him on the tree in the picture
April 5, 2011 5:12 pm
I was outside on the phone when I saw this guy on the tree. He blended in so perfectly I actually thought it was a little niche in the tree at first. After I got off the phone I picked up a stick and scooted him (her?) onto it. It has a purple with black horizontal lines on it’s underbelly.
I would like to know what kind of bug it is, please.
Signature: Caterpillar Fangirl
Underwing Caterpillar
Dear Caterpillar Fangirl,
We believe this is an Underwing Caterpillar in the genus Catocala. That was our suspicion even before we considered your description of the purple and black striped underbelly which must resemble this image of an Underwing Caterpillar on BugGuide. Your photo nicely illustrates the camouflage ability of the caterpillar, but the adult moths are even more masterful at hiding. The upper wings of the adult moths in the genus Catocala are often colored like tree bark while the underwings are brightly colored. When flying, the Underwing Moth attracts attention, but it blends with its environment when it comes to rest. The hunter might still be searching for the bright red flying insect, but it is thwarted since the underwings are hidden when the moth is at rest.
Caterpillar
Location: Mexico
April 4, 2011 2:01 pm
A friend of mine on Facebook snapped this picture of a caterpillar in Mexico. We would appreciate its identification.
Signature: Mark
Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Dear Mark,
We believe this is a Tussock Moth Caterpillar, but we do not recognize the species.
Thank you! I looked again and it was more likely taken in Guatemala, not Mexico.
Correction Courtesy of Karl
Hi Daniel and Mark:
It does look a lot like a Tussock Moth, but it is actually a ‘Wasp Moth’, Eucereon latifascia, which ranges from Guatemala to Amazonia. I have to confess that I find the current taxonomy of this group very confusing. The Wasp Moths used to be classified as a subfamily of the Tiger Moth family (Arctiidae: Ctenuchinae), which included several tribes. Several classifications are currently in use, but there seems to be a developing consensus that Tiger Moths and Wasp Moths have been demoted and placed within the family Erebidae (Erebidae: Arctiinae: Ctenuchiini). According to the Bugguide the Ctenuchines are now relegated to subtribe status within the tribe Arctiini. Hopefully it will all sort itself out some day. In any event, the Ctenuchines are often referred to as Wasp Moths because as adults many of them mimic wasps or other menacing insects, but E. latifascia, not so much. Regards. Karl
Thanks for providing this correction Karl. There is some degree of difficulty when using common names to describe insects and other creatures. To add to the confusion, some of the Arctiids have caterpillars known as Tussock Moths that are distinctly different from the Tussock Moths in the subfamily Lymantriinae, also in the family Erebidae. One example is the Milkweed Tussock Moth from North America that is profiled on BugGuide.
Stick-shelled beetlepillar
Location: Australia (Sydney Basin)
April 2, 2011 10:50 pm
My daughter found this wandering around my backyard. I’ve seen these before but always assumed they were a cocoon, rather than a sort of shell. This one has been around the backyard for at least a month as I have seen it hanging from trees, then mysteriously vanishing.
I also have video of it checking out the camera
Signature: Carey
Large Bagworm
Hi Carey,
This is a Bagworm in the family Psychidae, and we quickly identified it as a Large Bagworm or Saunder’s Case Moth, Metura elongatus, on the Brisbane Insect Website. The caterpillar forms a silken case containing plant material from its food plant that it remains in, eventually pupating inside of the case. The adult female is wingless and she never leaves her case, using pheromones to attract a mate. The Butterfly House website has images of the entire life cycle.
Thanks for that, my daughter was fascinated (so was I) to see
photographs of the adult moth.
Cheers
Carey
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