rss caterpillar I.D.
The pics should be reversed because I see these guys going up the stucco to their “housing” after they’ve snacked. What are they? I’m in the central east coast of Florida. My Oleanders don’t look so hot now….
Thanks in advance!!
Colleen
Hi Colleen,
You have Oleander Caterpillars, and they have formed Cocoons. The next phase of the metamorphosis is the emergance of the lovely Polka-Dot Wasp Moth, Syntomeida epilias. We have photos of the adult on our homepage now.
i found this in my yard i have never seen one look like this. Its not a bad thing but i thought i was a really cool thing can you tell me what kind this is.. thanks for your time
robert fell INDIANA
Hi Robert,
This is a Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillar, Euchaetias egle. It is also known as a Harlequin Caterpillar and it feeds on milkweed.
tiger moth mating
Hello bugman,
A few months ago I submitted shots of tiger moths laying eggs along with the hatched larvae. I did not originally have the moths mating picture. I finally located it! Hope you still need one.
Nancy (havard) Rendel
San Luis Obipso, CA
Hi Nancy,
We received and posted the egg laying image of the Painted Arachnis, but did not receive the hatchling photo. We are happy to post it along side the long dead parents.
Banded Wooly Bear
Hello Daniel,
I took a picture of this fellow on my lawn. Looked it up in my National Audubon Society “Field Guide to Insects & Spiders”. I actually don’t have much luck identifying bugs from this book… but occasionally I get lucky. In its description it stated… “According to superstition, the amount of black in the caterpillar’s bristle coating forecasts the severity of the coming winter. Actually, the coloration indicates how near the caterpillar is to full growth before autumn weather stimulates it to seek a winter shelter.” It doesn’t really explain how it overwinters, or where. Do they burrow underground? Cocoon themselves up?
Thanks!
Yvonne
Barrie ,
Ontario
Hi Yvonne,
The Banded Woolly Bear is the caterpillar of the Isabella Tiger Moth. The caterpillar sheds its hairs forms a cocoon from the hairs. It pupates inside the hair shell.
What is this caterpillar?
Hello Bugman,
I have a few photos of a caterpillar I saw earlier this spring — March I think. I looked over your moth and caterpillar photos and did not see this one so I thought I’d pass it along. I hope this caterpillar was not blinded by my picture – I had to use a flash! This particular one was walking on the sidewalk so I used a stick to move it to safety. I’d like to think its off enjoying its little life now. Thank you for this site — I love it! I have always been fascinated by bugs and have really enjoyed photographing them lately.
Sincerely,
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
This is a common Banded Wooly Bear. The adult is known as the Isabella Tiger Moth, Isia isabella. Legend has it that farmers can determine the severity of a winter based on the width of the brown center stripe.
Psychedelic caterpillars
Hello again. These life jacket orange with metallic blue dots and two long white hairs near the head caterpillars are decimating my stephanotis vine. The pupae are shiny brown and have strands of silk holding them on the leaves. I live in West Palm Beach Florida. Can you identify them?
Enid
Ed. Note: Caterpillars are often difficult to identify, and sadly, we weren’t much help to Enid, but as the following response shows, the caterpillars metamorphosed into a stunning little moth.
(07/19/2005) The psychedelic caterpillar becomes moth
Hello there. Remember the life jacket orange and metallic blue caterpillars? Well, this is what they become and it is called a faithful beauty and they are rare for West Palm Beach. Regards.
Enid
Hi Enid,
Your caterpillar photo was on our back burner, but we couldn’t really identify. Your Moth has a wonderful common name, Faithful Beauty, and the scientific name is Composia fidelissima. It is mostly tropical but does stray into South Florida. Perhaps last year’s hurricanes blew a few moths off course and they liked the climate. Thanks so much for the update.
caterpillar
hello,
i found this caterpillar outside my house in L.A., and i was wondering what kind of caterpillar it is and if it’s poisonous. thanks.
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Your caterpillar is a Wooly Bear, the larval form of Tiger Moths from the family Arctiidae. Many Wooly Bears are similarly colored. Based on your location, a good bet is the Painted Arachnis, Arachnis picta, a very pretty moth common in Los Angeles. We have photos of the adults on our moth page. The Wooly Bear eats a wide variety of weedy plants including wild radish. It is not poisonous
Do you have an id for this one?
Hi,
Checked through your website with great interest, but didn’t find my caterpillar there. This guy lived on a yellow blossom lupin branch this last Spring in Bodega Head (northern California above San Francisco). I’ve been unable to identify the pretty thing. Got any ideas? Sure would appreciate your help.
Thanks, Alice Steele (San Francisco)
Hi Alice,
The best we can do is tell you it is a Wooly Bear caterpillar, the larva of a Tiger Moth. Sorry it is so general.
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