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Unknown Caterpillar from Australia is Coequosa australasiae

100_0461, 100_0466, 100_0465, 100_0464, 100_0463, 100_0462
Hey Daniel
I’m feeling like I live in the land of the giants, after seeing the biggest butterfly ever, we found this 3-4 cm long caterpillar in the garden today, pictures attached.  Are you able to identify it for me?  I didnt want to get too close to him, he wasnt happy about being found I think and went back under the retaining wall as soon as we started to walk away.
Many thanks again
Gayle Downey

caterpillar gayle 300x214 Unknown Caterpillar from Australia is Coequosa australasiae

Coequosa australasiae Caterpillar

Hi Gayle,
Please provide a location before we begin any research.

caterpillar australia gayle 300x235 Unknown Caterpillar from Australia is Coequosa australasiae

Coequosa australasiae Caterpillar

Sorry Daniel!!
This photo was taken today at our home at Horsfield Bay on the NSW Central Coast.  We are approx 50 – 60kms north of Sydney.  Our home borders on the bush and we have an Australian Native Garden, this encourages a lot of natural wildlife which we are thrilled with.
Regards
Gayle Downey

No problem Gayle,
We will begin research tomorrow morning.  Though this caterpillar resembles a Sphinx Moth Caterpillar except for the absence of a caudal horn, and though some Sphinx Caterpillars, which are commonly called Hornworms lack a caudal horn, we do not believe your caterpillar is a Sphinx, and we also have our doubts that it is a Giant Silkworm.

caterpillar australia gayle 3 300x239 Unknown Caterpillar from Australia is Coequosa australasiae

Caterpillar

Posted 19 December 2010 § moth caterpillars ‡ Comments (4) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Possibly Tea Oil Caterpillar from Malaysia

Giant Caterpillar

caterpillar malaysia cxwong 1 300x206 Possibly Tea Oil Caterpillar from Malaysia

Unidentified Caterpillar

Giant Caterpillar
Location: Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.
December 17, 2010 4:02 am
My sister found this giant caterpillar in RDC – Rainforest Discovery Centre.
I had measured it with my ruler, it is 11cm long.
It is quiet, doesn’t move much.
This is the largest caterpillar I had ever seen, is this a world record ?
Signature: C.X. Wong

caterpillar malaysia cxwong 300x265 Possibly Tea Oil Caterpillar from Malaysia

Unidentified Caterpillar

Dear C.X. Wong,
While we do not recognize your Caterpillar, we will post the images and hopefully one of our readers will be able to provide some input.  We are uncertain what the largest caterpillar in the world might be, but the Hickory Horned Devil is the largest North American Caterpillar according to BugGuide.  According to Green Answers, it can grow to 14 centimeters, which is larger than the specimen in Malaysia.

caterpillar malaysia cxwong cu 300x231 Possibly Tea Oil Caterpillar from Malaysia

might be Tea Oil Caterpillar

Ed. Note: December 18, 2010
We received a comment yesterday that this is the caterpillar of Lebeda nobilis Walker,1855.  We did a web search of that name and found an Asian website with images of the life cycle and the caterpillar matches somewhat. Another Asian website has images that seem to be a closer match.  The caterpillar is also pictured on Bettaman’s Photostream on Flickr. We found a journal posted online with no images that associates the common name Tea Oil Caterpillar with this species.  Even if this is not the correct species, the resemblance is quite close and probably indicates that the family Lasiocampidae, the Tent Caterpillars and Lappet Moths, is correct.

Posted 17 December 2010 § Tent Caterpillars and Kin ‡ Comments (1) °

Casemaking Clothes Moth Larva

worm
Location: corner brook, newfoundland, canada
December 14, 2010 2:53 pm
found this worm i think he made his home..dont know
Signature: hiding worm

casemaking clothes moth canada 300x238 Casemaking Clothes Moth Larva

Casemaking Clothes Moth Larva

You might want to inspect your clothes closet for more of these Casemaking Clothes Moth Larvae, Tinea pellionella.  According to BugGuide they:  “feed on wool, feathers, fur, hair, upholstered furniture, leather, fish meals, milk powders, lint, dust or paper.“

Posted 15 December 2010 § Clothes Moth Caterpillar ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Ceanothus Silkmoth Caterpillar after all

I think I figured it out?
Location: Sonoma Mountan Range, California
December 15, 2010 2:09 am
Hi there, this is a photo I’ve sent before but didn’t hear back about…(no worries). I’ve continued to research and now I’m pretty sure it is the ceanothus silk moth larvae. I see you don’t already have a picture posted of the larvae, so I thought maybe you’d like to have it.
Signature: Mollyanne

royal cat mollyanne 300x225 Ceanothus Silkmoth Caterpillar after all

Ceanothus Silkmoth Caterpillar

Dear Mollyanne,
First we apologize for not responding to your earlier email, but it may have arrived on a busy day and gotten overlooked.  This is not a Ceanothus Silkmoth Caterpillar.  This is a Royal Moth Caterpillar in the subfamily Ceratocampinae, and though there are some inconsistencies in the colors and markings, we believe it is the caterpillar of Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth as that is the only member in the subfamily known to be found in California.   You can compare your image to the images on BugGuide an you will see the resemblance, but also the inconsistencies.  Since Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth is supposedly limited to the Eastern portion of the state and not near Sonoma, we have our doubts.  We are going to check with Bill Oehlke to get his opinion on this puzzling mystery.  Dare we entertain the possibility that this is an unrecognized species?  Do you have any additional photos of this caterpillar?

Bill Oehlke responds with a correction
Hi Daniel,
It is Hyalophora euryalus. The shrivelled body makes the scoli seems exceptionally long.
I think it is probably fourth instar.

Ed. Note: Bill Oehlke’s response supports Mollyanne’s original identification.  This is indeed a Ceanothus Silkmoth Caterpillar, Hyalophora euryalus.

Posted 15 December 2010 § Silkworms ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Asp: Caterpillar of the Southern Flannel Moth

wild larva
Location: Davie, FL
December 12, 2010 2:21 pm
Bugman, I consider myself somewhat of a pro at south florida lepidoptera as i was a professional butterfly breeder for a few years, but I found a larva today that I’ve never seen. While I was excited at seeing something new in my own backyard, not knowing what it is frustrates me to no end! Please help. Found it on the ground under some sea grape and oak trees.
Signature: Brett

asp brent 300x245 Asp: Caterpillar of the Southern Flannel Moth

Asp

Dear Brent,
You have encountered the infamous Asp, the caterpillar of the Southern Flannel Moth, Megalopyge opercularis.  It gets its common name as it is quite capable of delivering a painful sting.

asp brent 2 300x216 Asp: Caterpillar of the Southern Flannel Moth

Asp

Thanks very much for your confirmation.  Shortly after emailing you I figured it out, but thanks very much for your help anyway!  You provide a great service.

Posted 12 December 2010 § Asps ‡ Comments (2) °

Unknown Caterpillar from Tanzania

Tanzanian Uber Caterpillar
Location: Tanzania, East Africa
December 9, 2010 10:34 pm
In 2008, I walked across Tanzania. Whilst there I ran into all sorts of fun bugs -a stickbug as long as my forearm, mantids and locusts, and even a horde of hungry siafu that overran our camp in the middle of the night (not to mention ants that can jump). After all the adventure, I took a few days on the beach, whereupon I ran into this beastie. He was big (as long as my hand), bright, beautiful and, years later, I still have no clue what he was. Help?
Signature: Corvus

caterpillar tanzania corvus 300x225 Unknown Caterpillar from Tanzania

Unknown Caterpillar

Dear Corvus,
This is just about the most unusual Caterpillar photo we have ever received.  We are going to try to search the World’s Largest Saturniidae Website, though we are not even certain that it is the caterpillar of a Saturniid Moth.  We will also try to contact Bill Oehlke to see if he recognizes your caterpillar.  Perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide some assistance.    Often knowing the food plant can be of some assistance.  Many tropical insects, especially in their earlier stages, are not well documented.  Even if we are not able to eventually provide you with an identification, we are thrilled to be able to post your incredible photos.

caterpillar tanzania corvus cu 300x225 Unknown Caterpillar from Tanzania

Unknown Caterpillar

Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have any better picture of the tree it was on- all I can tell you, after a few years, was that said tree didn’t have any problem growing in sand maybe ten feet from the beach.  It was also in a relatively populated area – less than 10km south of Dar es Saalam which has been an active port city since the 1800s- so hopefully someone has managed to document this particular insect by now.
Funny enough, the beach it was by is named Kipepeo, which is Swahili for “Butterfly”.
I tried to do some googling on my own, but (obviously) no luck.  Hopefully your resources can turn up an answer! Thank you.
Corvus
http://corvustristis.wordpress.com

Hi again Corvus,
We are blown away by your website and we wonder if you are familiar with Lisa Anne Auerbach’s Steal This Sweater website.  What’s That Bug began its life as a column on Lisa Anne’s now defunct American Homebody website and we have a long history of artistic collaboration together.

Update on Food Plant:  SeaGrape
Unknown Caterpillar from Tanzania Comment
December 13, 2010 1:21 am
If it might be of help in making an ID, I believe the tree this caterpillar was on, is possibly Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera), native to Florida and tropical America. I lived on Hawaii for some years, where it is a popular, introduced landscaping/parking lot plant, particularly thriving in seaside locations; apparently this is true in other warm locales, as well.
Signature: Dee Warnock

Posted 10 December 2010 § moth caterpillars ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged:

Death’s Head Hawkmoth Caterpillar in South Africa

Death Hawk Moth Caterpillar in Johannesurg South Africa
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
December 9, 2010 2:49 am
I noticed that you had a picture and confirmed siting of this caterpillar in Durban South Africa about 600km away from were mine was found.
I only have one specimen. It’s getting close to pupation. It’s living off my Jasmine plant.
How widespread is the Death Mask Hawk Moth in South Africa? (That is what is its range?) I’m sure the Hawkmoth is not endemic to SA – where did it come from and how long has it been in the country?
I note you asked your previous correspondent from Durban to take pictures of the moth. Any advice on how to do this – simply I understand the caterpillar will bury itself and I’m scared I’ll lose the pupae. How long before the moth appears?
I really hope you can assist me with this – it’s the most exciting piece of nature in my garden in a long time.
Signature: Martin

deathshead cat south africa martin 300x150 Deaths Head Hawkmoth Caterpillar in South Africa

Death's Head Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Martin,
WE are always thrilled to be able to write about the Death’s Head Hawkmoth and its beautiful caterpillar.  According to the Biodiversity of South Africa website, of the three known species in the genus Acherontia that are all commonly called the Death’s Head Hawkmoth, the species found in South Africa is Acherontia atropos.  The distribution is described as:  “Found throughout Africa, Madagascar and most of Europe. A slightly different form, regarded by some as a separate species, is found throughout Asia.“  The Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic website has much information, but alas, there is no map. For some unknown reason, the Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic website does have a distribution map that indicates the species may be found  in southern Africa, but we do not understand the difference between the green dots and the blue dots.  South Africa does seem to be considered part of the range of the species.  There is generally a period of several weeks spent in the pupal stage though that would vary with the severity of the winter.  We cannot say for certain when the adult moth will emerge.

deathshead cat south africa martin 2 300x212 Deaths Head Hawkmoth Caterpillar in South Africa

Death's Head Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Thank you so much for your prompt reply.
Much appreciated – I’ve been doing a bit more research  and it looks like the pupal stage can be as short as two weeks – that is South Africa is currently in summer and if there is a chance of a second cycle in the season the Death’s Head Hawkmoth may use the opportunity.
Really hoping to get pictures of the moth.
Thanks again
Martin

Posted 09 December 2010 § Hornworms ‡ Comments (0) °

The Mystery of the Cutworm and the Chrysalis

Caterpillar munching on chrysalis
Location: Rancho Bernardo, CA
December 8, 2010 1:46 am
Hello bugman,
This site is awesome! Please help identify this caterpillar that has been feasting on my Anise Swallowtail chrysalis. I found him on 12-5-10 tunneling through this chrysalis and also found a few other empty shells. I live in San Diego, CA.
Thank you.
Signature: cknapp

cutworm eats chrysalis cknapp 300x196 The Mystery of the Cutworm and the Chrysalis

Cutworm and Chrysalis

Dear cknapp,
The caterpillar in your photo looks like a Cutworm, the caterpillar of a Dart Moth in the subfamily Noctuinae.  The odd thing is that in neither of your photos is any actual eating occurring, and the tail end of the Cutworm appears attached to the Chrysalis.  The Chrysalis also appears to have a hole indicating that it was parasitized by an Ichneumon.  We will not be tagging this as a Food Chain image because the evidence does not indicate that the Cutworm fed on a living Chrysalis.

cutworm eats chrysalis cknapp 2 300x144 The Mystery of the Cutworm and the Chrysalis

Cutworm and Chrysalis: What is really happening here???

Thank you for the reply.  I have a screened cage where I have about 15 swallowtail chrysalis.  On Sunday I was cleaning out some plants when I noticed one chrysalis had a large hole in the side and it was empty.  That is when I discovered this ‘cutworm’ hanging out of another chrysalis.  When first found he was head first in the chrysalis with tail end hanging out.  I removed the chrysalis and cutworm from the enclosure, placed in a tupperware and took some pictures.  These first pictures showed the head inside the chrysalis and the tail end hanging out (it appeared to be eating).  Withing an hour it backed out of the chrysalis but it kept grabbing at the chrysalis and moving it around the tupperware container. Then it went back into the chrysalis and exited through the bottom of the chrysalis which are the pictures I posted.  I thought those pictures provided a better view of the ‘cutworm’ since the previous pictures I took only showed the tail end. I found the whole situation odd since I had never seen a hole this large and I did not see any wasps or indication of anything else that would have caused this.
I do appreciate your feed back.  Thank you so much.
Cindy

Thanks for the additional information Cindy.  Perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide some insight into this unusual phenomenon.

Karl solved the mystery (at least to our liking)
The Mystery of the Cutworm and the Chrysalis – December 8, 2010
Hi Daniel and Cindy:
It is a Noctuid moth but the subfamily is Heliothinae. It looks like a Corn Earworm (also Cotton Bollworm and several other common names), Helicoverpa (=heliothis) zea.  The caterpillars come in a wide variety of colors and they change color as they progress through their moults. They are considered a very serious pest on many agricultural crops, although they apparently favour corn. The question of course is, was he caught in the act or was he an innocent bystander?  Well, if any caterpillar could commit such a crime, this would probably be it.  These are aggressive little guys with predatory tendencies and a reputation for cannibalism.  According to one report (Chilcutt 2006), cannibalism may in fact be the most important mortality factor for H. zea.  Predation on other species also has been reported, but appears less common.  If he didn’t do it, perhaps he was just sniffing around for leftovers.  Regards.  Karl

Wow Karl,
This is like an Agatha Christie episode of the insect world.  Cannibalism in Caterpillars, and then out and out predation of a harmless slumbering chrysalis.  After Cindy’s last email, I had already reconsidered the reluctance to tag this posting as “Food Chain“.

Posted 08 December 2010 § Cutworms and Owlet Caterpillars § swallowtail caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

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