Subject: Unknown
Geographic location of the bug: Marloth Park, South Africa
Date: 01/02/2018
Time: 11:49 AM EDT
Good day.
Found this gorgeous worm outside. It seems to be trying to find its way with the “paddles” on the back, might be hugely mistaken though. Was wondering if you could assist me as I cannot find help on the internet? Would like to know how the butterfly looks.
Kind regards
How you want your letter signed: Yolande
Dear Yolande,
Your Caterpillar is very similar looking to the North American Paddle Caterpillar in the Owlet Moth family Noctuidae, that we figured it might be closely related, and that led us to this posting of some Dice Moth Caterpillars in the Rhanidophora on the Biodiversity on my Farm site. iSpot also contains some nice images of Rhanidophora ridens, the species that looks most like your individual. Alamy also has a nice image.