Subject: Strange Caterpillar – Australia
Location: NSW Australia
September 10, 2013 8:02 pm
Hey Bugman,
Came across this quirky looking caterpillar yesterday and have never seen one like this before.
I am in the Hawkesbury region of NSW, Australia.
The caterpillar is about 5cm long. Would love to know what he or she will eventually become.
I also have a video of him if you would like to see it, he is just adorable.
http://youtu.be/8cbvojLG5n4
Thanks
Signature: Tracy
Hi Tracy,
We did a quick scan of Butterfly House, but we didn’t have any luck identifying your caterpillar. We really must go to bed now. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to assist us in identifying your distinctive caterpillar.
Update: September 26, 2013
One of our readers supplied a comment indicating this might be the caterpillar of the Sparshalli Moth, Trichiocercus sparshalli, and based on photos on the Brisbane Insect Website and Butterfly House, we agree.
Is the tuft at the head end? That probably means it’s an Anthelid. Which admittedly doesn’t narrow it down much…
Yes, the tuft is on the head end.
If you can access the video, it shows his/her underside and face fairly well….
Thanks for the response, I’ll do some research based on that 🙂
Yes, the tuft is on the head end.
If you can access the video, it shows his/her underside and face fairly well….
Thanks for the response, I’ll do some research based on that 🙂
I believe it’s a Sparshalli Moth caterpillar, Trichiocercus sparshalli.
We will try to locate a link.
Looks like you’re right – Sparshall’s Trichiocercus. Brisbane Insects and Australian Lepidoptera both have good photos. To my complete shock, it looks like I had the very same species turn up on my windscreen recently – but the golden yellow form.
Thankyou so much 🙂
I had the exact same caterpillar in my garden in far northern NSW April 2020. A fluffy stunner of the moth world! Very difficult to identify though. Thank you for your webpage.