Subject: Are these wasp larvae on a laurel sphinx caterpillar?
Location: Michigan
August 27, 2015 6:21 pm
I found this intriguing caterpillar today, and I think it is a laurel sphinx caterpillar. But what are those things on its back? Could those be wasp larvae?
Signature: J. McGuire
Dear J. McGuire,
We agree that this is a Laurel Sphinx Caterpillar, and it does appear to have parasites, however, the parasitoid looks very different from the typical Braconid infestation pictured on Featured Creatures that is typically seen on the Laurel Sphinx and other Hornworms. We will continue to try to locate a similar looking image and try to identify the species of Parasitoid.
Would love to know what this parasite actually is as we have a spinx moth caterpillar with the exact same thing on its back. We live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Did anyone actually figure out what it is??
I found the same kind of caterpillar with brown brachonids attached all over its body in Vienna, MI