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Nymphalid Chrysalid, we believe

On April 30, 2013 · Category: brush footed butterfly caterpillars · Add Comment

Subject: Daniel – What’s This Thing!
Location: Hawthorne, CA
April 30, 2013 1:10 pm
Hi Daniel,
Hope all is well with you. I’ve not had any unusual sightings recently, so have been away from WTB. Today I spied something in a cactus grouping and cannot figure out what it is. I’m hoping that the photo is clear enough for you to tell what it is and maybe share with me?
Signature: Thanks, Anna Carreon

Nymphalid Chrysalid

Hi Anna,
How nice to hear from you. We always love your submissions. We believe this is the Chrysalis or Pupa of a Butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, the Brush Footed Butterflies. It reminds us a bit of the chrysalis of a Variegated Fritillary or a Buckeye.

Daniel,
Thanks very much. I think it is a Gulf Fritillary chrysalis. These butterflies are regular visitors to our little patch. I’m guessing it chose the cactus for protection, but hope the butterfly makes it out unscathed!
Anna

Hi Anna,
We were going to look up the Gulf Fritillary Chrysalis to see if it matched, but we didn’t have time. Thanks for the update.

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Owl Butterfly Caterpillar with Tachinid Fly Eggs from Costa Rica

On April 27, 2013 · Category: brush footed butterfly caterpillars, Eggs, Tachinid Flies Tagged With: food chain · 4 Comments

Subject: I named him Ryno
Location: Costa rica Jungle
April 27, 2013 5:07 pm
This is a little friend I found deep in the Jungle in Costa Rica. Anyone who what he is?
Signature: Ryno

What’s That Caterpillar???

Dear Ryno,
We do not recognize this unusual looking caterpillar. Generally Butterfly Caterpillars are not hairy, but we suspect this might be a Nymphalid Caterpillar.

Keith Wolfe responds to our identification request
Greetings “Ryno” and Daniel, this is a last-instar Caligo atreus (http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/dblinks/searchplaycat4.lasso?-Search=GCAcaterpillars337&herbivore%20species=atreus). Note the numerous white tachinid (http://www.nadsdiptera.org/Tach/Gen/tachintr.htm) eggs behind the head capsule, the inevitable doom of which it might possibly escape if pupation occurs before the maggots hatch.
Best wishes,
Keith

Hi Keith,
Thanks for getting back to us on this. We didn’t realize those were Tachinid Fly eggs. Good to know. We hope this Owl Butterfly Caterpillar escapes being eaten alive by the fly larvae.

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Hawkmoth Caterpillar from South Africa: Coelonia fulvinotata

On April 27, 2013 · Category: Hornworms · 2 Comments

Subject: Worm?
Location: South Africa
April 26, 2013 3:44 am
I found this worm crawling into the house. It’s the second one we have found trying to make it’s way indoors. The first on was yellow and green if I remember correctly.
What is it?
Signature: Don’t understand the question

Hawkmoth Caterpillar: Coelonia fulvinotata

This is a Hornworm, a caterpillar in the Hawkmoth family Sphingidae. We believe it is the caterpillar of a Death’s Head Hawkmoth, Acherontia atropos, though this is not the typical color we see for the species. Typically, the caterpillars of the Death’s Head Hawkmoth are a bright green and yellow color like your email indicates. According to the Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic: “Prior to pupation, the fully-grown larva darkens over a period of several hours, during which stage it anoints its whole body with ‘saliva’; this appears to hasten the darkening process. This completed, a suitable location for pupation is sought.” We are not certain why they are trying to get indoors, but they might be seeking a suitable location to pupate.

Update: May 5, 2013
We just received a wonderful correction and explanation of why this is actually Coelonia fulvinotata.

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Possibly Parasitized Underwing Caterpillar

On April 25, 2013 · Category: Cutworms and Owlet Caterpillars, Parasitic Hymenopterans Tagged With: food chain, mysteries · Add Comment

Subject: Bug in backyard
Location: Stafford Tx. USA
April 24, 2013 12:06 pm
I live in Stafford TX and found this critter in my yard on a piece of iron…what is it??? Should we run !!!
Signature: Randy

Possibly Underwing Caterpillar, possibly Parasitized by Wasps

Dear Randy,
This is a most curious set of photos, and we are requesting assistance from Eric Eaton prior to posting. This is a Caterpillar and we believe it might be an Underwing Caterpillar in the genus Catocala. They grow quite large. You can also compare your image to this photo of an Underwing Caterpillar on BugGuide. We are most curious about the surrounding objects. They look like the pupae of parasitic Wasps known as Braconids. The wasps are generally quite species specific. Here is a photo from our archive of a Hornworm parasitized by Braconids. The curious thing about your photo is that the pupae are not attached to the caterpillar. Again, we hope to get a more professional opinion for you.

Underwing Caterpillar and possible Parasites

Daniel:
I’m not an expert on caterpillars, but I think your scenario is right on. Definitely braconid pupae. This would be something interesting for Bugguide, and maybe someone else there knows more.
As of yesterday I am now writing blogs (ghostwriting, actually) for The Blogger Pool for a major third party client in the pest control industry. So, I may not always get back to you as quickly as usual. Plus, my wife and I are visiting her family out of state May 5-13, just so you know I won’t be online very often then.
Eric

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Swallowtail Chrysalis

On April 22, 2013 · Category: swallowtail caterpillars · 4 Comments

Subject: Very Odd Looking Cocoon
Location: San Diego
April 22, 2013 12:09 am
Hi,
I found this cocoon on our fence. It is really weird, kind of creepy but also quite fascinating.
It is supported to the fence by two anchor lines. It is about 1.5 inches long. When I tap on the fence, its lower body flexes a little (I have video). I think it tries to disguise itself as a branch. I’m not sure if the face-like figure was actually a face or just a clever way to scare off predators. It has been there for over a month. Maybe two. Pictures were taken on the 7th and it was there for at least a week and it is now the 22nd and its still there.
Regards,
Signature: BagToss.com

Swallowtail Chrysalis

Dear BagToss.com,
A cocoon is spun, often of silk, and it protects the pupa of generally moths. This is a bare pupa of a butterfly, known as a chrysalis. The two anchor lines you mention are a silken girdle to support the chrysalis in an upright position, and this girdle is characteristic of a Swallowtail Chrysalis from the family Papilionidae. We suspect there might be a citrus tree near your fence and that this is the Chrysalis of a Giant Swallowtail, though it might be another species in the family. Here is a BugGuide photo of the Chrysalis of a Giant Swallowtail for comparison.

Thank you for the quick response. We do have a nectarine tree within 6 feet of the cocoon. I guess butterfly will emerge very soon based on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilio_cresphontes I hope to see it in action. What time of day do butterflies normally hatch?

Our guess is that butterflies are most likely to emerge in the morning, but we are not certain.

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Orange Dog

On April 21, 2013 · Category: swallowtail caterpillars · Add Comment

Subject: Caterpillar in AZ
Location: Mesa, AZ
April 21, 2013 1:44 pm
Found this caterpillar today, April 21, 2013 on my hat and at first thought it was a bird dropping. On closer inspection it looked like a half of a lizard, without legs. It’s about 1 1/4” long with a brown and white coloring. Never seen one like this before.
Thanks.
Signature: David

Orange Dog

Hi David,
When first we received your email, we didn’t read it and immediately wrote back that the images had not attached. Thank you for sending the images. If we had read you email, we could have answered your question with a 97% accuracy, because your verbal description marvelously describes the Orange Dog, the caterpillar of the Giant Swallowtail, a North American butterfly that adapted to the cultivation of citrus in Florida, and when citrus was grown more widely, including in backyard and porch gardens, the Giant Swallowtail was able to expand its range all the way through Arizona to California. Your email did not indicate if it was found near an orange, lime or other citrus tree. If you disturb the Orange Dog, it will reveal its osmeterium, an orange fork-shaped organ that releases an odor some predators might find repulsive. See BugGuide for a matching photo, and you can also see BugGuide’s information page on the Giant Swallowtail for more information.

Orange Dog

Daniel, thank you for your assistance. We have several citrus trees in our yard and I moved it from my hat back to one of the orange trees. My daughters are looking forward to the possiblity of seeing the Giant Swallowtail flying around our back yard.
Thanks again,

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Death’s Head Hornworm

On April 20, 2013 · Category: Hornworms · 1 Comment

Subject: Caterpillar Identification
Location: Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa
April 20, 2013 1:17 pm
Photo taken by myself approx 3 years ago, of this huge caterpillar, length of 2 x matchboxes placed end to end. Beautiful colors. Found on ground in flower bed, eating leaves. Cannot quite remember the season, but could have been spring or summer as leaves were quite green. It was so beautiful that I placed it on my face book timeline, but was not yet able to identify.
Signature: Leone’ Ferreira

Death’s Head Hornworm

Dear Leone’,
The Death’s Head Hawkmoth is more famous for its imago than its Hornworm, but this is its Hornworm.

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Vine Hawkmoth Caterpillar from South Africa

On April 12, 2013 · Category: Hornworms · Add Comment

Subject: Caterpillar
Location: Somerset West, Cape Town
April 11, 2013 10:30 pm
Hi – these caterpillars ate a flourishing pot of impatiens overnight last week. They are about five centimetres long, very fat, have two ”eyes” on the front of the head, and a spike at the end of the body. They are greenish-brown coloured. They didn’t react when touched – no curling. Do you know what they are. I’ve never had them in my garden before – not that I have seen. I live in Somerset West, outside Cape Town.
Signature: Christina

Vine Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Christina,
This is a Hornworm, the harmless caterpillar of a Sphinx Moth or Hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae. We did a web search for South African species and found this posting on Caterpillar Blog identified as Hippotion celerio. We then searched that name and found a nice posting on Butterfly House that includes stamps with images of the adult moth which is called the Vine Hawkmoth or Gabi Moth. The Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic also provides some good information.

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Nymphalid Chrysalid, we believe

Owl Butterfly Caterpillar with Tachinid Fly Eggs from Costa Rica

Hawkmoth Caterpillar from South Africa: Coelonia fulvinotata

Possibly Parasitized Underwing Caterpillar

Swallowtail Chrysalis

Orange Dog

Death’s Head Hornworm

Vine Hawkmoth Caterpillar from South Africa

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