mystery Autumn caterpillar
Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 5:57 AM
My children found this guy on their treehouse in October. We have scoured the internet and our caterpillar field guide for his identity. I suspect this is a moth larva.
J, M, and S
Baton Rouge, LA
Stinging Slug Caterpillar
Dear J,M, and S,
We are happy to hear the children did not suffer a painful sting after handling this Stinging Slug Caterpillar. Your specimen is in the genus Euclea. We found a matching image on BugGuide, but it is not identified to the species level. The Spiny Oak Slug Moth, Euclea delphinii, is the only species identified in the genus, so your specimen is either a closely related species, or a color variation on the Spiny Oak Slug Moth.
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Posted 23 November 2008
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Wierd Green Slug/Bug/Caterpillar
Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 8:58 AM
Hi, my son and I recently found this(bug) on the ground outside our house. I tried to look it up online, but found nothing. It is very small and strange looking. It sticks to your finger on the bottom it looks like small hairs almost velco like. When touched it seems to shrink up a very small amount you have to watch it VERY close or it doesn’t even look like it is moving. We call it our alien bug. We brought it inside and put it into our plant container, about 6 hours later it was gone, or so we thought until we found a small brown ball in the corner. When I poked it, it opened up and the bug was inside. I took pictures of it and by morning it was in a ball again. What is this? I am so curious. What is it going to turn into when it emerges?
Renee
Macomb, Michigan
Slug Moth Caterpillar
Hi Renee,
Your caterpillar is one of the Stinging Slug Moth Caterpillars, Isa textula. The adult moth is brown and relatively nondescript. You can see images of both the caterpillar and adult moth on BugGuide.
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Posted 15 October 2008
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Catapillar
This creature could be found in Japan pretty much on anything from peach tree to persimmon, even sometimes cherry bloosoms in groups…. and very very poisoness in case the appearance didn’t suggest it(if you touch it, you feel like you have been burned with branding iron). I’d like to know the english name for the beast and what does he turns into??
Kouta Shimazaki
Japan
Stinging Slug Caterpillar from Japan
Hi Kouta,
We haven’t the time to get you an exact species name right now, but we can provide you with some information. Your caterpillar bears a striking resemblance to a North American species known as the Saddleback Caterpillar which is depicted on BugGuide. Saddleback Caterpillars are in the family Limacodidae, the Slug Caterpillar Moths. Many Slug Caterpillars have stinging spines. Perhaps someone will write in with a comment and correctly identify your exact species. It may not have an English name, but if you don’t mind a more general group name, Slug Caterpillar should suffice. Slug Caterpillar Moths are generally brown with subtle markings. You can also see photos of adult moths from North America on BugGuide.
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Posted 28 September 2008
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pink monkey slug in Pa.
Dear Daniel-
As I was waiting to get my kindergartner off the bus, I spied
this weird pink leafy thing on my mailbox. Imagine my surprise
when it moved!! I raced to get my camera and snapped a few
pictures. I didn’t want to touch it because I was afraid of
it stinging. Then I gently pried it up- this thing is sticky!-
to get a look at the underside. Very cool. I found the image
already on your site, but mine is a nice shade of pink. The
mailbox is under a large oak tree, which fits the information
I found on it. Enjoy!
Lee Weber
Nottingham, Pa.
Hi again Lee,
You were wise to not carelessly handle the Monkey Slug Caterpillar,
as it is one of the stinging caterpillars. This unusual caterpillar
is one of the most un-insectlike insects we can think of.
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Posted 11 September 2008
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Fuzzy Slug in Alpharetta GA
I am not sure if this is a slug… He isn’t slimey like most of the slugs posted on your site. Any ideas? He looks more like a sea slug? Thanks!
Daria G.
Alpharetta, GA
Hi Daria,
This is actually a Slug Caterpillar, probably the Smaller Parasa, Parasa chloris. There are a few photos from Georgia on BugGuide. Slug Caterpillars are known for their stinging spines.
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Posted 17 August 2008
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Hi Bugman,
I work for Russell Cave and we try to get pictures of all critters that we see here and make a photo album out of them. I have 2 caterpillars that I can not identify. I have looked at your site and found some similar but no luck. Could you please help. Thank you very much,
Mary
Hi Mary,
Though we don’t receive as many letters in February as we do in the summer, we are a bit behind in responding. Your green caterpillar is a Nason’s Slug Caterpillar, Natada nasoni. Handle with care since Slug Caterpillars have stinging spines. Your other caterpillar appears to be one of the Noctuid Moths, a very large family of moths. We did a cursory search on BugGuide, but properly identifying this caterpillar might take hours, and still prove unsuccessful.
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Posted 25 February 2008
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Caterpillar?
Hello,
I went on vacation with my family this past September (2007) and when we returned to our campsite we found this caterpillar on our picnic table. Could you tell me what kind it is? Best regards,
Amy Vonderchek
Trumansburg, NY
Hi Amy,
If this is not a Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar, Euclea delphinii, then it is a closely related species in the same genus. Slug Caterpillars are stinging caterpillars and they must be handled with caution.
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Posted 25 February 2008
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Hag Moth Caterpillar?
Hi
My name is Lidia, (I don’t speak english so much) I saw your page ‘What’s that bug’ and I like it, I saw an stranger bug in a tree in front of my house two weeks ago (I live in Panamá) and I was surprised and then I started to search in the web and I found your page, and I now I think that this caterpillar is a Hag Moth Caterpillar or Monkey slug. This is true? Sorry for the bad quality of the pictures. Thanks.
Lidia
Hi Lidia,
While we cannot guarantee that your caterpillar is the same species as the North American Monkey Slug, Phobetron pithecium, the maps on BugGuide as well as our own letters indicate they are common in Texas. If they are in Texas, chances are quite good they are in Mexico. Since plants and animals tend to ignore international borders, chances are also good they may be found in Central America including Panama. If your specimen is not the same species, Phobetron pithecium, it is definitely in the same genus. It is therefore valid to call your caterpillar a Monkey Slug.
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Posted 31 January 2008
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Need help IDing bug pic from Wisconsin
What a delightful site! Have three boys 7 and under and we learn a great deal from your site. Attached is a creature that fascinated myself and extended family in August ‘07. Taken on property in SE Wisconsin with many old growth deciduous trees. My uncle has lived on the property 35 years and never saw such a specimen before. Could you help us learn a bit about it? Many thanks,
Kristin
Hi Kristin,
We love this photograph so much. This is the Caterpillar of a Hag Moth, known as a Monkey Slug. Careful, since it is a stinging caterpillar.
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Posted 21 January 2008
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South African stinging caterpillar
Hi,
I’m curious if anyone can identify this South African caterpillar. Found dozens of them happily munching Ligustrum ovalifolium – they’re a very good match to the golden-green leaves. They deliver a really painful sting. About an inch long, some a bit larger.
Adrian
Hi Adrian,
While we have not identified the exact species, we can tell you that this is a Slug Caterpillar in the family Limacodidae.
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Posted 19 January 2008
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What is this?
Hi,
I found this insect in my garden, located in Brazil southeast (São Paulo, São Paulo), i have no ideia of what is it, I tried to understand this the hole day. It has 1,5cm-2,0cm, still alive, but don’t move frequently. the shape is what I think is more interesting. Can you answer what is it??? Thanks
Luiz Fernando R. de Sá
Brazil
Hi Luiz,
This caterpillar bears a striking similarity to the Monkey Slug Caterpillar found in the Southern U.S. Though it might be a different genus, we believe it is still in the Slug Moth Family Limacodidae. Slug Moth Caterpillars often have stinging spines, so handle with caution.
Thanks for the anwser! I could discover what bug was! Here this bug is called “Lagarta-Aranha” something like “Spider Catterpillar” in English, real thanks! Have a nice day
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Posted 18 December 2007
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Just Add to Your Great Submissions
Hi,
I always go to your site when I have a bug I don’t know (disturbingly, it happens a lot not because of lack of knowledge but because of our multitude of bugs!!). My son and I LOVE your site!!! We can view all the strange bugs that are cool and gross and creepy and cute. Anyway, thought you might want to add this shot of a Hag Moth we found in a bush in our front yard. I Identified it in part with your website’s help-Thanks. Luckily I did NOT pick it up as I had intended to do because I just learned they sting and it is not a nice thing especially in those prone to allergic reactions (me). Anyway-our family loves your site. Keep up the great work and I am sure eventually I will find something you haven’t already identified and will send it your way.
K. Ackles
Friendswood Texas
Hi K,
Your photograph is such an interesting angle on the Monkey Slug, another common name for the stinging Hag Moth Caterpillar.
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Posted 05 November 2007
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