Hitched arches moth caterpillar
Location: Shenandoah National Park, Front Royal, Va
September 26, 2011 9:07 pm
Hello, bugman:
My husband and I wanted to share this picture of a very beautiful caterpillar that we found feeding on goldenrod yesterday in Shenandoah National Park. We were able to identify it as the hitched arches moth caterpillar through the BugGuide. We have never seen anything like it.
Signature: Peggy
Hitched Arches Caterpillar
Hi Peggy,
With the onset of autumn, our mailbox is filling with caterpillar identification requests and spider identification requests. Thanks so much for taking the time to self identify your Hitched Arches Caterpillar, Melanchra adjuncta, and also for taking the time to email the photo to our website. BugGuide is an awesome source for insect identifications.
1
Identification request
Location: Guatemala (Jocotenango, Sacatepéquez)
September 23, 2011 2:13 pm
Dear Mr Bugman:
I am currently volunteering in a combined elemntary & secondary school in Guatemala. Some of our fifth graders found this beauty in the garden. They’d love to turn it into a science project to see it become a butterfly, but I have my doubts that it will accept a jar as proper place for pupation. But I’m getting ahead of myself, since we don’t even know what it is yet.
Thanks for your help & keep up the great work!
Signature: Regards, Reinhard Prosch
Fig Sphinx Caterpillar
Hi Reinhard,
Your caterpillar is that of a Fig Sphinx, Pachylia ficus. The Fig Sphinx is a large Hawkmoth, not a butterfly. According to the Sphingidae of the Americas website: “Larvae pupate in cocoons spun amongst leaf litter.”
1
What’s this caterpiller?
Location: Ft. Smith, AR
September 23, 2011 5:43 pm
Found him on our outdoor carpet in a campground near Ft. Smith, AR.
Signature: sally01
Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
Hi sally01,
This distinctive caterpillar with metamorphose into a Spicebush Swallowtail.
1
this creature on my lime tree
Location: india
September 23, 2011 2:55 am
Have found a few of these on my lime tree and i am told they chew up all the leaves. but since i dont know their name, i am unable to address the problem.
please help
Signature: Sukhie
Lime Butterfly Caterpillar
Dear Sukhie,
This is the caterpillar of a Swallowtail Butterfly, and unless the tree is totally defoliated, which we doubt will happen, the loss of a few leaves to feed this caterpillar is a small sacrifice to be able to enjoy the lovely adults flitting around the garden. The red structure is a defense organ known as an osmetrium, and in addition to resembling the tongue of a snake, the caterpillar is able to give off a strong scent that dissuades predators. We did a bit of research and we have learned that your caterpillar is Papilio demoleus malayanus, and it is commonly called the Lime Butterfly. We searched the internet and found many photos of the caterpillar, but your photo is probably one of the best. We are proud to include it on our website. You can see the entire life cycle of this lovely species on the Butterflies of Singapore website.
Thank you for your prompt reply, have plenty other pictures of this caterpillar as well. Have removed the from my young trees and placed them elsewhere. Love them butterflies.
regards
Sukhie
Make sure you place them on lime or other citrus if you want them to survive.
Correction Courtesy of Keith Wolfe
Hello Daniel and Sukhie,
Knowing that your time to do Internet searches is very limited, Daniel, please allow me to correct the caterpillar ID to that of the COMMON MORMON (Papilio polytes). I’ve seen hundreds of Lime Butterfly and Common Mormon larvae all across Asia, the two being easily separable by a coffee-colored band between the “eyes” (Lime Butterfly) and prominent blue spots on the head and body (Common Mormon). FYI on a simple comparative Word doc that I posted several years ago on an Indian forum — http://groups.google.com/group/butterfly_india/msg/405238f507d08e91.
Best wishes,
Keith
1
Achemon Sphinx Moth
Location: Cheney Kansas
September 21, 2011 9:03 pm
I decided to raise these five caterpillars that were feeding on my grapevines…So I purchased a cheap aquarium and collected the Cats from the vine.
I then fed them new grapevine leaves each day for about a week…They one by one burrowed underground..about 6 to 8 days later they finaly pupated.
This is the results of my 2 week experiment with these catepillars.
Signature: Chris Harris
Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar
Hi Chris,
We are positively thrilled to post your photos documenting the metamorphosis of the Achemon Sphinx. Your project should inspire our readers to attempt a similar endeavor in order to learn more about the creatures around us.
Pupae of the Achemon Sphinx
Your photos are quite nice, and we especially like the image of the caterpillar of the Achemon Sphinx.
Achemon Sphinx
1
4 ’Red Headed’ caterpillars grouped together
Location: Raleigh, NC
September 21, 2011 11:47 am
Hi Bugman,
I found out about you from a guy I work with. And thought that’s so cool!
The other day I saw that one of my azalea bushes was looking a little decrepit. Upon further examination, I saw on a couple of branches, 3-4 caterpillars clumped together on each separate branch. Each caterpillar is 2-3 inches long at least a 1/4 inch in diameter. Mostly black, with sort of yellow stripes and red heads (or tails?)
Signature: Carolyn
Azalea Caterpillars
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for supplying the information that azalea is the food plant. Knowing the food plant for a caterpillar makes identification so much easier, though in the case of these Azalea Caterpillars, Datana major, we have identified them enough times in the past to know what they were immediately. You can also view the BugGuide information page to learn more about this species that feeds in groups and often strikes a dramatic pose when it feels threatened.
Any idea what did this?
Location: Ames, IA
September 19, 2011 3:47 pm
Hi,
Here’s another mystery photo from my cousin in Ames, IA. When I looked at the photo, I couldn’t determine it’s size so couldn’t tell whether it was made by insect or bird. Dinah’s answer is: It was definitely an insect pupae about 1 or 1 1/2 inch long wrapped in an asparagus frond.
I’d very much appreciate it if you could help in any way.
Signature: Thanks, Anna Carreon
Mystery Pupa
Hi Anna,
This looks like a pupa, probably a Moth Pupa, and it looks nostalgically familiar. Our editorial staff seems to remember seeing this mystery thing in the fields in Ohio, but we need to do additional research. We are going to contact Eric Eaton to see if this looks familiar to him.
Daniel,
Thanks so much for your help. I know you go above and beyond for me and now you’re helping my wonderful Iowa cousins also!
Anna
1
Halloween Skullapillar?
Location: S. Illinois
September 20, 2011 5:26 pm
Found this unusual caterpillar on swamp rose mallow. Was about an inch and a half long, and while it had an inchworm like posture, it had 3 pair of prolegs (two pair? how do you count the big clampy ones in the back?). I don’t think that it is pre-pupation coloration, because I found more than one and they were all black/orange/white.
I wasn’t able to identify it with a few searches, so if it is new to science, I would dub it the Halloween Skullapillar.
Signature: -Bert
Probably Hooded Owlet Caterpillar
Hi Bert,
We haven’t time to research at the moment, but we believe this is a Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar in the genus Cucullia, and BugGuide has numerous photos.
1
rss
I like This
