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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar

Caterpillar
Hello, Was looking thru your site trying to id this fella and my wife said to just ask you. So… We’ve been able to id a few of the Caterpillars we have seen in our butterfly garden thru your site. So thanks for that! My wife found it yesterday on the Violets and Veronica plants. It seems to be about an inch long and red body, white patches, and black “spikes”. I think we are close looking at some of the other fellas on your site (Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar ?) , but just wanted to know for sure. Thanks in advance,
Chris & Valerie
North Carolina

Hi Chris and Valerie,
Finding a spiny caterpillar on violets is always a good indication that the caterpillar is one of the Fritillaries. Most are difficult to distinguish from one another, but we are confident that you have correctly identified your Variegated Fritillary.

Posted 05 June 2008 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

Fritillary Caterpillar

Fritillary?
This is a pitiful excuse for a photo but I tried my best, sorry. Anyway, I found this caterpillar in the backyard curled in a ball in the dirt. He was ripe for the picking by the birds so I brought him in to see if I could help her make it to a butterfly. She is black with reddish at the base of the spikes and has been eating violet leaves (through trial and error). Caterpillar is ready to pupate and I want to make sure I have the right nectar plants for her release. I ruled out mourning cloak because there are no whitish spots. I am truly at a loss. Thanks for your time and I love your website!
Lorrie in Vermont

Hi Lorrie,
Violets as a food plant are pretty much compelling information that this caterpillar is a species of Fritillary, probably a Greater Fritillary in the genus Speyeria, though we are not confident enough to identify what species. Fritillaries are nectaring butterflies that love Phlox, Joe Pye Weed, Milkweed, Coneflowers, Thistles, Goldenrod and many other flowers. We doubt your adult butterfly will starve when released.

Update: (06/28/2008)
It ended up being a Great Spangled Fritallary and when we released it he flew so high into the sky right for a tree. A beautiful experience. I haven’t seen many of those around here. Thanks for your help trying to identify the caterpillar. Sincerely,
Lorrie

Posted 04 June 2008 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

Mourning Cloak Caterpillar

Black Spikey Caterpillar
Dear What’s That Bug,
My son and I found this black spikey caterpillar in the backyard eating some cottonwood leaves. It is mostly black with a lot of tiny white dots, tiny white hairs, and long black spikes all over its body. It also has five pairs of orange feet and rust colored spots down the middle of its back. We think it looks similar to a mourning cloak caterpillar that we saw on your site. Is that what it is? Thank you
Damon

Hi Damon,
You are correct in your identification of this Mourning Cloak Caterpillar..

Posted 01 June 2008 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar

How about this one?
Grazing on deciduous leaves in a remote canyon (5,000 feet) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Dave Martz

Hi Dave,
This is a Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar, Lophocampa maculata.

Posted 01 June 2008 § Tussock Moth Caterpillars ‡ Comments (1) °

American Lady Caterpillar

Caterpillar
Hello,
I found this caterpillar in my yard (Pensacola, Florida) and I wanted to see if you could help me identify it. It is not very big, I would say about 1 and a half inches long. Thanks
Noel

Hi Noel,
Your caterpillar is an American Lady, Vanessa virginiensis. You can read mor about it on BugGuide.

Posted 29 May 2008 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

Little Leaf Notcher Weevil and Citrus Leaf Miner

Gray Insect on a Citrus Leaf
I was examining the fruits of my bitter orange citrus tree in Miami, Florida when I found this gray insect on one of the leaves. I suspect it’s some type of beetle. Can you please identify the insect? Also, do you happen to know what those white and brown streaks on the leaf are and whether or not they were produced by the insect?
Rob

Hi Rob,
Your gray insect is a Little Leaf Notcher Weevil, Myllocerus undatus, and invasive species from Sri Lanka that feeds on at least 55 plant species in Florida including citrus. Read more on BugGuide and the Florida Department of Agriculture Pest Alert site. You have another problem with your citrus. Beneath the Little Leaf Notcher Weevil are what appear to be tunnels produced by the Citrus Leaf Miner, Phyllocnistis citrella, a tiny moth. Read more about this introduced pest on Featured Creatures.

Thank you for all the information! I thought that perhaps the weevil was responsible for the tunnels on the leaf; thanks for clarifying that a citrus leaf miner was the true culprit. My citrus tree has been left unattended for quite some time, so it has become home to various insects.
Rob

Posted 24 May 2008 § Moths § Weevils ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

White Admiral Caterpillar

Any idea what this catapillar is?
This is on a small willow tree in our yard on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, and I have never seen one that looks like this before. No luck so far in finding out what it is. It’s rear is raised and head tucked under at the end with the yellow. Large brown head & 2 spirally dark spikes. Any chance someone there knows? It is about 2 inches long. Thanks,
Ian.

Hi Ian,
This is a White Admiral Caterpillar, Limenitis arthemis. The White Admiral is the northern subspecies and the Red Spotted Purple is the southern subspecies. Where the two subspecies overlap in range, there is a gradual intergradations of physical characteristics. A third subspecies is the Western White Admiral.

Posted 19 May 2008 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

Luna Moth Cocoon

what is this cocoon?
Hi I came across this cocoon about 2 weeks ago on the ground. It has been scratching on the inside ever since. I’ve determined it might be a polymorphous moth. Any thoughts? Also how long will it take before it will hatch? Thanks,
Ryan

Hi Ryan,
We are nearly positive that this is a Luna Moth Cocoon, but it might be a Polyphemus Moth. Without meaning to sound smug, it will hatch when it is ready. The complexity of insect metamorphosis is not like a three minute egg. Some combination of time, temperature, humidity, length of day, and perhaps airborn pheromones will trigger the hatching.

Posted 18 May 2008 § Silkworms ‡ Comments (1) °

Cloudless Sulphur Chrysalis

Can you ID me?
Hi Bugman,
Can you please help me identify this “thing”…. I live in Coconut Creek, Florida and saw this on one of my Jasmine plants that I recently brought home from the nursery (bonus!!). I’ve searched the internet far and wide but … just haven’t come across anything that looks like this. Can you help ID me? Thanks so much!
Debi
PS – LOVE your website.

Hi Debi,
This is the Chrysalis of a large yellow butterfly known as the Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae, sometimes called the Senna Sulphur, though it might also be from a close relative, the Orange Barred Sulphur, Phoebis philea.

Posted 11 May 2008 § butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

Convict Caterpillar

What is it?
Location: Palm Bay, FL 32905
Date: May 6, 2008
Plant: perhaps a Spider Lily a clumping lump of bulbs I have 7 of these guys now. Any idea what it is? Notice the tiny ‘hairs’ on the body.
Sandy

Hi Sandy,
This was an easy identification for us because we just received another photo of the Convict Caterpillar last week. The Convict Caterpillar eventually becomes the lovely Spanish Moth, Xanthopastis timais.

Posted 08 May 2008 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Eastern Tent Caterpillars
Here is a picture I took while hiking along the C&O canal in Maryland. These things are EVERYWHERE and until I took a look at your site, I thought they were Gypsy Moth Caterpillars. My 4 year old son and I were at the National Zoo the other day and while the elephants couldn’t hold his attention, he was facinated by these caterpillars inching along all over the place. He then collected several and gently placed them on his shirt and then proceeded to strut around the zoo covered in them like some caterpillar tamer on Animal Planet. Alas, I did not have my camera with me that day. Thanks for the great site!
Tracy

Hi Tracy,
Thanks for your touching story. We have recently received several images of individual Eastern Tent Caterpillars, Malacosoma americanum, but we have not posted them. Your photo is a textbook example for identification purposes.

Posted 08 May 2008 § Tent Caterpillars and Kin ‡ Comments (0) °

Chalcedon Checkerspot Caterpillar

Chalcedon Checkerspot caterpillar
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel.
On 4/30 I found three of these caterpillars dining on Wyoming Kittentails west of Casper, WY. After our subsequent 6″ of global warming melted, I located 15 yesterday. Hopefully a chrysalid photo will ensue. Peace, Love and Jerry Garcia,
Dwaine

Hi Dwaine,
Thanks for keeping us up on current Wyoming Lepidoptera. The inclusion of the penny is a nice indication of scale. The Chalcedon Checkerspot represents a new caterpillar species for our site.

Posted 04 May 2008 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

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