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Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar

Name that caterpillar
Location: Northern California
January 24, 2011 6:39 pm
I came across this bug last week in my front yard (January 2011). I moved him off of the walking path. My coworker and I were curious what he might turn into. I looked online but didn’t see any bugs that looked like him.
Signature: -Kimber

gulf fritillary cat kimber 300x206 Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar

Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar

Hi Kimber,
This is the caterpillar of a Gulf Fritillary, a pretty orange butterfly that can be found where passionflower grows because that is the food for the caterpillars.

Posted 25 January 2011 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Giant Silkmoth Caterpillar from Rwanda

Jessica’s Pet Caterpillar
On Jan 24, 2011, at 6:07 PM
Location:  Rwanda
“puffy hews”. what kind of beastie will emerge from this rwandan living cactus??
julian thinks he’s a type of moth – a wild silk moth – a saturnidae.
Clare

caterpillar rwanda jessica 300x219 Giant Silkmoth Caterpillar from Rwanda

Giant Silkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Clare,
I agree with Julian that this is a Giant Silkmoth Caterpillar, family Saturniidae (you dropped an i and failed to capitalize the family name).  I have been unable to match it to any Rwandan species on the World’s Largest Saturniidae Site, so I have contacted Bill Oehlke who oversees that website to see if he is able to provide any information.

Bill Oehlke responds
Daniel,
I am pretty sure it is one of the Imbrasia species. That genus has been divided into Imbrasia and Gonimbrasia, and Gonimbrasia genus has been further divided into Gonimbrasia and Nudaurelia subgenera.
I think in the next few years there will be a few more genera/subgenera added. Currently, I would say it is Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) dione, but I have been advised there are probably many new species that will be described in the next little while as a result of DNA barcoding.
Dione has an all black larvae with yellow spinage and white spiracular ovals, and it likely flies in Rwanda. I have never seen a published list of Saturniidae species found in Rwanda.
The list I have composed is largely based on interpolations from lists sent to me by Thierry Bouyer for other African countries and from internet publishing of specimens for sale. I think Thierry’s information is quite reliable, although subject to the upcoming revisions based on DNA barcoding; the other sources would be less reliable.
There currently is nothing more reliable in print or on the internet, at least not so far as I have seen.
Is it possible she can provide a larger image?

Ed. Note:
We are inquiring about a larger image.  Meanwhile, we did locate links to the adult moth on Thorne’s Insects Shoppe and on FlickR where it is also represented on the Moths Tanzania page.  There are also photos of the adult moth on an African Moths website we located.

Hi Daniel,
List of foodplants on Gonimbrasia (Nudaurelia) dione file.
If she still has it in Rwanda, use natural hosts. If it is now in US, use US host.
This species does not make a cocoon, but would pupate in a tub between paper towels if treated as per north america earth pupators like regalis.
I would love to see moth if she is successful.

Ed. Note:  Food Plants from WLSS
“Listed below are primary food plant(s) and alternate food plants listed in Stephen E. Stone’s Foodplants of World Saturniidae and/or on various internet sites. It is hoped that this alphabetical listing followed by the common name of the foodplant will prove useful. The list is not exhaustive. Experimenting with closely related foodplants is worthwhile.
Aleurites fordii
Aleurites montana
Anacardium occidentale
Bauhinia petersiana
Chlorophora
Diplorhynchus mossambicensis…….
Erythroxylum havanese
Eugenia
Jatropha curcas
Khaya
Mimosa
Psidium
Rhus (RL)
Ricinus communis
Spondias lutea
Theobrama cacao

China wood oil tree
Mu-oil tree
Cashewnut
Kanchan
Muvuli
Diplorhynchus mossambicensis
Erythroxylum havanese
Stopper/Waterboom
Barbados nut/Physic nut
African mahogany
Mimosa
Guava
Sumac
Castor oil bean
Mombin
Cocoa”
Also, the caterpillar is pictured on this postage stamp from Congo.

Imbrasiadionecongostamp 199x300 Giant Silkmoth Caterpillar from Rwanda

Caterpillar on Stamp

great info. a famous caterpillar!
of course, several skin allergy producing food species listed…
jessie – get out the paper towels for puffy hews to pupate – i do hope he is still alive…
i love that it eats ricinus… let’s get some for elyria!
oh, but it eats sumac, too. not so useful!
is mr. oehlke an entomologist?
clare

Posted 25 January 2011 § Silkworms ‡ Comments (0) °

Bagworm from Israel

Bagworm or boxworm?
Location: Wadi Og, Israel
January 23, 2011 6:22 am
Hi WTB,
On my hiking trip this past weekend I came across this bagworm, Amicta quadrangularis, in Wadi Og, just south of Jericho. I think ’Boxworm’ is a more appropriate name, don’t you?
Signature: Ben, from Israel

bagworm israel ben 300x224 Bagworm from Israel

Bagworm

Hi Ben,
Thanks so much for sending us your photo as well as identifying this unusual Bagworm.

Posted 23 January 2011 § Bagworm ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Underwing Caterpillar

caterpillar ID please
Location: Charlottesville Virginia
January 21, 2011 12:02 pm
I’m stumped on this one; it was found under leafy matter by my daughter last April.
Is there a significance to the underside coloring? Thanks in advance.
Signature: John

underwing cat john 300x235 Underwing Caterpillar

Underwing Caterpillar

Hi John,
This it the caterpillar of an Underwing Moth in the genus Catocala.  Quite fortuitously, BugGuide has a posting that shows both the dorsal view and underside of a similar Underwing Caterpillar.

underwing cat john 2 300x263 Underwing Caterpillar

Underwing Caterpillar

Posted 22 January 2011 § Cutworms and Owlet Caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °

Hornworm from Hawaii: Pink Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Caterpillar
Location: Honolulu Hawaii
January 21, 2011 7:04 pm
What’s the name of this caterpillar or the butterfly/moth that it will turn into? Never seen one like it in Hawaii. It was about 3inches long and cruising down a hiking road.
Signature: Dan

hornworm hawaii dan 300x205 Hornworm from Hawaii: Pink Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Unknown Hornworm from Hawaii

Hi Dan,
We actually thought this was going to be an easy identification because this caterpillar is so distinctive and because we know that it it a Hornworm in the family Sphingidae.  The Sphingidae of the Americas website allows us to search by state, and we know Hawaii does not have many species, but alas, several of species and subspecies listed in Hawaii are without photos.  Bill Oehlke who authors the website notes:  “Manduca blackburni, Tinostoma smaragditis, Hyles calida calida, Hyles calida hawaiiensis, Hyles wilsoni perkinsi and Hyles wilsoni wilsoni are endemic species/subspecies (found only on Hawaii).”  Your caterpillar reminds us of members of the the genus Hyles of which there are several species and subspecies in Hawaii, though we would not dismiss the possibility that it might be an unusual color variation of the caterpillar of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata, which is also found on Hawaii. You can note the similarities to the caterpillar of Hyles lineata on the Sphingidae of the Americas website. The more we ponder this, we are leaning toward this being an unusual color variation of the caterpillar of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata, because of the markings on the head. The examples of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar on the Sphingidae of the Americas website have decidedly different colors and markings than your individual, but that is still our best guess. We are going to enlist the assistance of Bill Oehlke on this query by copying him on our reply.  We suspect he may request permission to post your photo to his website as well.

confirmation from Bill Oehlke
Hi Daniel,
You are correct. It is the highly variable Agrius cingulata.
Bill Oehlke

Posted 22 January 2011 § Hornworms ‡ Comments (0) °

White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar from South Africa

huge green cattepillar
Location: Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa
January 19, 2011 8:22 am
I found this green catterpillar on a tree on our farm in Hazyview South Africa. I only found this one. It was about 10cm long and easily 1.5cm in diameter. It had yellow spikes along its body with a few blue spikes on its head. It looks very similar (except for the colours) to like a catterpilar of some kind of emperor moth? do you have a clue?
Signature: Leonie

epiphora mythimnia south africa leonie 300x181 White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar from South Africa

White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar

Dear Leonie,
This was one of the quickest identifications we have ever made of an unknown species that was emailed to us.  We immediately recognized your caterpillar as a member of the family Saturniidae, the Giant Silkmoths, and we tried the World’s Largest Saturniidae website that we have a membership to.  Going to South African species, the first try struck the jackpot with Epiphora mythimnia, but since we cannot link to the World’s Largest Saturniidae website, we needed to find corroboration elsewhere.  WLSS states:  “The White-ringed Atlas, Epiphora mythimnia (wingspan: 105-130mm), is one of the few Attacini in Southern Africa. It flies in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.“  There is a photo of the caterpillar and the moth on the Lepidoptera Breeders Association website. The adult moth is pictured on the African Moths website and we have an example in our archives as well.

epiphora mythimnia south africa leonie 2 300x263 White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar from South Africa

White Ringed Atlas Moth Caterpillar

Dear Daniel
Thank you very much for your quick response.  I have seen the moths around twice only.  They are beautiful you must admit!
God Bless
Leonie

Posted 19 January 2011 § Silkworms ‡ Comments (0) °

Unknown Caterpillar from Botswana, possibly an Inchworm

Very abundant inch worm in Kasane, Botswana
Location: Kasane, Botswana
January 14, 2011 4:58 pm
I have seen this inch worm several times around my home in Kasane, Botswana. Right now it is the rainy season and is the only time I have seen this worm. It is very colorful and has almost feather like spikes. I did handle it and it was not poisonous. Do you know what this bug is or what it will become. It is very beautiful.
Signature: Laura Marchitto Massie

spanworm botswana laura 300x174 Unknown Caterpillar from Botswana, possibly an Inchworm

Unknown Caterpillar

Dear Laura,
We are not entirely convinced that this is an Inchworm, a name along with Spanworm given to the caterpillars of moths in the family Geometridae because of the way that they crawl.  According to Bugguide:  “larvae generally have only two pairs of prolegs (at the hind end) rather than the usual five pairs in most lepidoptera; the lack of prolegs in the middle of the body necessitates the peculiar method of locomtion, drawing the hind end up to the thoracic legs to form a loop, and then extending the body forward.“  The caterpillar in your photo has three pairs of prolegs, which is fewer than the five possessed by most caterpillars, hence its method of locomotion.  BugGuide only indicates that “larvae generally have only two pairs of prolegs” which might mean that some individuals have three pairs.  Your caterpillar also reminds us of that of the North American Funerary Dagger Moth which is depicted on BugGuide.  We will attempt to get you a species identification, and until we determine otherwise, we will archive your letter with the Inchworms.  Perhaps we can enlist assistance from our readership towards a conclusive identification of this interesting caterpillar.

spanworm botswana laura 2 300x200 Unknown Caterpillar from Botswana, possibly an Inchworm

Unknown Caterpillar

Posted 16 January 2011 § Inchworms ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Blue Mountain Swallowtail Caterpillar, Papilio ulysses, from Australia

what type of caterpillar is this
Location: Queensland (cairns)
January 14, 2011 11:46 pm
HI bugman
I need your help to identify this caterpillar,I found it in my garden
and if you can,can you please find out what the caterpillar eats.
Thanks
Signature: delaney potoi

papilio ulysses cat australia delaney 300x195 Blue Mountain Swallowtail Caterpillar, Papilio ulysses, from Australia

Mountain Blue Caterpillar: Papilio ulysses

Dear Delaney,
We are a bit confused by your request, though we are thrilled to post your photograph.  When we first read your email, we thought you had labeled this image “Ulysses Caterpillar” because someone named Ulysses found it.  Upon doing our research, we found that it is the caterpillar of the Blue Mountain Swallowtail, Papilio ulysses, which we have always called the Ulysses Swallowtail.  It would appear that you already had an identification prior to submitting your request.  We identified your caterpillar on the Caterpillars of Australia website which indicates:  “In the wild they feed on the new growth foliage of the jungle trees : Fuzzy Lemon Aspen ( Acronychia vestita ), Silver Ash (Flindersia bourjotiana ), Glasswood ( Geijera salicifolia ), Kerosine Wood ( Halfordia kendack ), Yellow Evodia ( Melicope bonwickii ), Pink Princess ( Melicope elleryana ), Little Evodia ( Melicope rubra ), Northern Euodia ( Melicope vitiflora ), and they will also accept the foliage of: Oranges, Lemons, etc. ( Citrus species ), all of RUTACEAE.“  The adult butterfly is a beautiful metallic blue butterfly with tails on the hind wings.  When a caterpillar is found on a plant, it is a very good indication that the plant is being eaten.

papilio ulysses stamp 300x214 Blue Mountain Swallowtail Caterpillar, Papilio ulysses, from Australia

Ulysses Swallowtail postage stamp 2003

The Butterfly Corner website has nice photos of mounted specimens, and this species is quite popular in decorative collections, but we much prefer the photographs of the living specimens on the Wildlife Australia website. The adult Blue Mountain Swallowtail or Ulysses Swallowtail has been depicted on at least four Australian postage stamps including the two we are including in this posting.

papilio ulysses stamp 2 300x207 Blue Mountain Swallowtail Caterpillar, Papilio ulysses, from Australia

Ulysses Swallowtail postage stamp 1998

Posted 16 January 2011 § swallowtail caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

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