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UPDATED:
Metamorphosis of the Common Mormon (02/11/2008)
Unknown Swallowtail Butterfly from "Only Eddie Knows Where"
is a Common Mormon
(02/09/2008) Please help to identify this butterfly
Hi there,
I managed to keep 3 caterpillars that were destroying my curry
leaf plant & one of them transformed into this beautiful
butterfly. Attached is the shot of the butterfly that I took
before I set it off free. Please can you help identify this
species of butterfly? Thanks a lot for your help. Cheers,
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
The best we can do without a location of origin is a Swallowtail
Butterfly in the family Papilio.
Oh I'm so sorry Daniel.....I'm from Singapore. Appreciate
your help. Cheers,
Eddie
That was a big help Eddie. Your butterfly is a Common
Mormon, Papilio polytes romulus. We are thrilled that
our search led us to a Butterflies
of Singapore website.
Hi Daniel,
You & Lisa are the greatest :-) Thanks for everything & also
leading me to the Butterflies of Singapore website. Never
knew it existed. If you need photos of the Common Mormon in
the caterpillar & chrysalis stages, I will be glad to forward
them to you for your "What's that bug?" website. Thanks once
again & keep up the good work.
Eddie
 
Wow Eddie,
We couldn't have hoped for better photos. Thanks for creating
this awesome metamorphosis documentation of the Common Mormon
from Singapore for our site. Your photos demonstrate two significant
characteristics of the genus Papilio. First, the caterpillar
photo shows the Osmeterium
or scent gland. Caterpillars in the genus Papilio possess
a hidden scent gland that is often brightly colored and forked
in shape. It is hidden and only appears when the caterpillar
is threatened. Your chrysalis photo shows the silken girdle
that keeps the pupa upright, another characteristic of the
genus Papilio.
Stinging
Guatemalan Caterpillar: perhaps Leucanella species???
(02/08/2008) Guatemalan Caterpillar
Hey. Love the site. I took this picture in 2005
in the mountains around Chinique, Guatemala. What was
it and was I wise not to touch it? Thanks,
Terry
Hi Terry,
We are quite confident saying this is a stinging Saturniid
Caterpillar. We thought it resembled an Io Moth Caterpillar,
so we researched members of the genus Automeris. We could
not find a satisfactory match on Kirby
Wolfe's awesome website, until we got to Hyperchiria
nausica. It looks pretty close. Leucanella
hosmera looks even better, as does Leucanella
saturata. We are most satisfied with Leucanella saturata
or Leucanella hosmera.
Probably
Pink Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar
(02/08/2008) What the bug?! AZ
Hello. My name is Kyle Burrows. I live in North Carolina but
came across this little bugger while hiking in Zion Nation
Park, UT last September. My brother and I stopped dead in
out tracks. Can you help me find out what it is. I wish the
pic was clearer. It had a hook sticking out from its face.
It was 2-3 inches in length. Thanks for your help.
Kyle Burrows
Hi Kyle,
This is a Sphinx Moth Caterpillar, most probably the Pink
Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrias cingulata. The Caterpillars of the
Pink Spotted Hawkmoth are highly variable, but your photo
looks more like that species than any other Utah species posted
on Bill
Oehlke's website. Finding this caterpillar on the ground
probably indicates it was getting ready to dig underground
to pupate. The hook you mention is actually on the tail end,
hence the common name Hornworm for many of the caterpillars
in the family Sphingidae.
Thanks for the info. I would have lost a lot of money betting
that the hook was on the face. It looked like such a cute
little guy. Not so cute now that I know it's a butt shot.
Helena Gum Moth: Caterpillar and Adult
(02/03/2008) not an Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar?
Hi,
I almost stepped on this one this morning, I had thought it
was an Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar, but after looking at
other photo's on the web, it doesn't seem "tufty"
enough. looking at the photo (and measuring my hand), it's
probably about 90mm long near Ballarat in Central/Western
Victoria, Australia Also seen at same location, I was assuming
that this ... is an Emperor Gum Moth ? can you confirm any
of my ramblings ? thanks,
Glenn
 
Hi Glenn,
In our opinion, both your caterpillar and moth are a close
relateive of the Emperor Gum Moth, the Helena
Gum Moth, Opodiphthera helena.
Entometa
fervens, NOT Guava Moth Caterpillar
(02/02/2008) Strange caterpillar on Lemon-scented gum tree;
SE Qld
Dear Daniel (I think that's your name)
We found this caterpillar on a lemon-scented gum tree on our
property this morning; thought it was a growth on the trunk
until we looked closer and could actually see its legs.
It seems to have attached itself onto the trunk and hasn't
moved for over two hours. Questions are: 1. What is
it? 2. Is it damaging the tree (which is only a
young sapling)? 3. Should we leave it alone or
remove it? I did look on your website but my computer is soooo
slow I couldn't open all the info you had on caterpillars.
Hopefully this one is new to you so that I'm not wasting your
time. My caterpillar (whatever it is) is on the move - but
taken 24 hours to move about 4 inches. It is itself about
4 inches in length. I'm looking forward to finding out what
it is and have e-mailed all the people I think may have an
idea of what it is, but so far no gel. Hope you can shed
some light on what is probably a very common caterpillar.
Many thanks
Heather
(02/03/2008) Strange caterpillar on Lemon-scented gum tree;
SE Qld
Dear Daniel and Lisa?
So sorry - didn't mention that my caterpillar is on our property
in Warwick, South East Queensland, Australia. I've lived
here for nearly three years and am amazed at how many bugs
there are! I'm having fun looking at your site, even if
you don't have time to answer my query. You might be interested
to know that I found it by accident; all I did was type in
"identify caterpillar Australia" and up popped your very informative
and 'pretty' page. Hope I'm not being a pest e-mailing you
yet again.
Heather from Warwick, Queensland
Hi Heather,
We have spent a goodly amount of time trying to identify your
fascinating caterpillar, but to no avail. We suspect it is
in the superfamily Noctuoidea,
family Noctuidae, the Owlet Moths or the or an Underwing Moth
in the subfamily Catocolinae
(family Erebidae). There are some taxonomical errors on the
Caterpillars
of Australian Moths website we tried searching. An American
underwing caterpillar posted on BugGuide
shares many similarities.
Breaking News: As we struggled with this
posting, and trying to create all the links, we believe we
have identified this caterpillar as a Guava Moth, Ophiusa
disjungens, based on photos posted to the Geocities
website. Though many caterpillars in the Catocalinae group
look similar, gum is listed as a food plant of the Guava Moth
Caterpillar
Dear Daniel
Thank you for your prompt reply to my query (see below). However,
I also received a reply from Don Herbison-Evans (whose website
I found on your site, thank you) and he thinks it is Entometa
fervens. I had a look on the link, http://www.usyd.edu.au/museums/larvae/lasi/fervens.html
and, sure enough, it is almost identical to my visitor.
I took a video of the caterpillar last night and it had become
very active indeed - I may have a new hobby!
Hi Heather,
Thanks for the update. We stand corrected.
Monkey Slug from Panama
(01/31/2008) Hag Moth Caterpillar?
Hi
My name is Lidia, (I don't speak english so much) I saw your
page 'What's that bug' and I like it, I saw an stranger bug
in a tree in front of my house two weeks ago (I live in Panamá)
and I was surprised and then I started to search in the web
and I found your page, and I now I think that this caterpillar
is a Hag Moth Caterpillar or Monkey slug. This is true? Sorry
for the bad quality of the pictures. Thanks.
Lidia
Hi Lidia,
While we cannot guarantee that your caterpillar is the same
species as the North American Monkey Slug, Phobetron pithecium,
the maps on BugGuide
as well as our own letters indicate they are common in Texas.
If they are in Texas, chances are quite good they are in Mexico.
Since plants and animals tend to ignore international borders,
chances are also good they may be found in Central America
including Panama. If your specimen is not the same species,
Phobetron pithecium, it is definitely in the same genus. It
is therefore valid to call your caterpillar a Monkey Slug.
White Stemmed Gum Moth Caterpillar: It Stings!!!!
(01/24/2008) caterpillar freakazoid
we found a caterpillar yesterday in our driveway that is just
under 8 inches long about 18cm! we dont know what kind it
is. its freaky looking and is furry and spiky. can u help
us out. we live in an urban area in north west NSW of australia.
we dont think its a native.
Angela Ritter NSW Australia
Hi Angela,
The White Stemmed Gum Moth Caterpillar, Chelepteryx collesi,
is a native species that we located on the Australian
Caterpillars website. It is in the family ANTHELIDAE
that is confined to Australia and New Zealand. The website
explains that: "This
Caterpillar is a great hazard to people climbing Gum trees.
Scattered over its skin are tufts of long stiff reddish hairs,
which are strong enough to penetrate human skin. When they
do, they are very painful, and difficult to remove because
they are barbed and brittle." It is also noted that: "It is
also one of the largest Caterpillars in Australia, growing
in length to about 12 cms. Some trees where they may be found
most years in Leichhardt are known by local school-children
as 'sausage trees' because the Caterpillars look from the
ground like sausages growing in the trees."
Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar in New Zealand
(01/23/2008) An nusual Caterpillar from NZ
Hi There
I found this caterpillar whilst trimming some grapevines .
I have no idea what it is. I suspect some kind of moth. Hope
you can help. Thanks
Tony Austwick
Tauranga, New Zealand
Hi Tony,
We were relatively certain we properly identified your caterpillar
as an Emperor
Gum Moth Caterpillar, Opodiphthera eucalypti, but finding
it on a grape vine had us puzzled. Additional
research revealed that grape is a host plant as well as
eucalyptus.
Tetrio
Sphinx Caterpillar in Puerto Rico
(01/22/2008) tetrio sphinx
Hi..
Love your site. Some friends are living in Ocean Park, Puerto
Rico, and took this beautiful picture. There was an
unidentified caterpillar on 'caterpillars 1', but then i found
the same one again on 'caterpillars 4' identified as the tetrio
sphinx. i also found this site very informative http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/ptetrio.htm
thanks!
M. Phipps
Hi M.,
We generally turn to Bill Oehlke's fabulous website when we
need a Sphinx Moth identified.
Common Evening Brown from Australia is Unknown Caterpillar
from Who Knows Where????
(01/22/2008) Can you tell me what type of caterpillar this
is?
Hello
My little boy found this great caterpillar. Do you know what
type he is and what he likes to eat. Thankyou
Cathou
Hi Cathou,
We actually tried to identify your mystery caterpillar, but
did not get very far since we have no idea where it was found.
We believe it is a species of Skipper in the family Hesperidae.
Thankyou for trying. I am in QLD and think we have identified
it as a Nymphalide / melanitis leda. I appreciate your reply
Cheers
cathou
Thanks for the update Cathou. We will link to a site with
information on the Common
Evening Brown, Melanitis leda.
Monkey Slug is center of attention
(01/21/2008) Need help IDing bug pic from Wisconsin
What a delightful site! Have three boys 7 and under
and we learn a great deal from your site. Attached is
a creature that fascinated myself and extended family in August
'07. Taken on property in SE Wisconsin with many old
growth deciduous trees. My uncle has lived on the property
35 years and never saw such a specimen before. Could
you help us learn a bit about it? Many thanks,
Kristin
Hi Kristin,
We love this photograph so much. This is the Caterpillar of
a Hag Moth, known as a Monkey Slug. Careful, since it is a
stinging caterpillar.
Stinging Slug Caterpillar from South Africa
(01/19/2008) South African stinging caterpillar
Hi,
I'm curious if anyone can identify this South African caterpillar.
Found dozens of them happily munching Ligustrum ovalifolium
- they're a very good match to the golden-green leaves. They
deliver a really painful sting. About an inch long, some a
bit larger.
Adrian
Hi Adrian,
While we have not identified the exact species, we can tell
you that this is a Slug Caterpillar in the family Limacodidae.
Pipevine Caterpillars and Chrysalis
(01/14/2007) What is this caterpillar?
Can you identify this caterpillar? I found this in Nov 2007
in the Sutter Buttes of California. It was on the ground about
30 feet from a cluster of pupas that I found attached to a
rock. Not sure if they are related. Thank You,
Richard Coleman
 
Hi Richard,
Your caterpillars are Pipevine Swallowtails, Battus philenor,
and the Chrysalis is also from the Pipevine Swallowtail. Your
photo does not show the silken
girdle thread that keeps the chrysalis upright. This is
a characteristic of the chrysalis of most swallowtails.
Great
Ash Sphinx Caterpillar, we think
(01/13/2007) Caterpillar ID
Hello,
I have been trying to ID This cattapiller, I photographed
in the summer down near the river bottoms, West TN. Thank
you
Kathleen Chute
Hi Kathleen,
This is some species of Sphinx Moth in the family Sphingidae.
We will try to get a positive ID.
Thank you very Much, I too felt it was of the sphinx moth
class but there is such a big difference in pattern. Thanks
a Bunch for any and all help.
Kathleen Chute
Hi again Kathleen,
After some research, we now believe this is a Great Ash Sphinx
Caterpillar, Sphinx chersis. It seems to be an atypical color
pattern. Both Bill
Oehlke's wonderful website and BugGuide
have a photo taken by Tony Thomas in 1993 that looks very
similar to your caterpillar, but it is a lateral view. We
will consult with Bill Oehlke to see if he agrees with our
assessment.
Daniel,
I am leaning more toward Agrius
cingulata due to black markings on head, but I cannot
tell for sure as there is nothing for size comparison, possible
food plant. I would need a lateral view. Sorry. It might be
chersis??
Bill Oehlke
Pale Tussock Moth Caterpillar from UK
(01/11/2008) Caterpillar
Dear Bugman,
Happy New Year. Here is a caterpillar I found in a Deer Park
near where I live in Manchester, UK. I found it in October
07 and can't find it in any of the books. Can you help me
Identify it? Thank you ,
Sarah Pereira
Hi Sarah,
We quickly located the Pale Tussock Moth Caterpillar, Calliteara
pudibunda, on the UK
Moths website. It should not be confused with the American
Moth with the same common name, Halysidota
tessellaris. Much to the chargrin of beer lovers, the
UK Pale Tussock Moth sometimes feeds on hops.
Lobster Caterpillar from India
(01/05/2008) Insect Identification
Please Identify this insect. It was found in northern part
of India
Prashant Verma
Hi Prashant,
This is a Lobster Caterpillar. There is a species, Stauropus
fagi, in Great Britain. We found another
site with images from Italy. We have found a reference
of a species, Stauropus alternus, sometimes called the Crab
Caterpillar, in India, but cannot locate a photo. Another
website
indicates that both species can be found in India, but Stauropus
fagi has a greater range, including much of Northern Europe,
Northern Asia including Northern India, and Japan.
Citrus
Swallowtail Caterpillar and Citrus Swallowtail Butterfly
(01/04/2007) Australian bird shit caterpillar
Hi Bugman,
I am no entomologist but I like science and looking at it
I was thinking: What is that? A bird shit caterpillar !!!
Wow, how darwinian !? Searching on the net I discover
you have the same in Kansas... I thought you'd be interested
to know that we have the equivalent in Australia living on
our lemon tree, it's the citrus thing that triggered my interest.
Two bugs adopting the same mimicry eating the same kind of
leaves...? It's more than just a case of co-evolution.
And I suspect the butterfly associated to this caterpillar
is this gorgeous one that goes up and down and up and down
in the hot summer afternoon in our backyard. I have a pic
somewhere I'll try to find it if you are interested. On the
pic the caterpillar is in a defensive position, normally the
pointy bits are not erected and it looks just like a bird
poo. New years greetings from Oz
Olivier Bruge & Peter Young
Canberra
Hi Olivier and Peter,
Your caterpillar is a Citrus Swallowtail or Orchard Swallowtail,
Papilio aegeus. The Butterflies
of Australia website has images of the caterpillars and
the adults. Your caterpillar is an early instar, and the coloration
will change with subsequent molts. We would love to get a
photo of the adult butterfly if you are able to send one.
Down under Papilio Aegeus !
Hi Daniel,
Thank you so much for your answer. Here is the pic of the
butterfly I was very happy to know that my huntch was right.
I love the idea that this beautiful insect comes out of a
big poo!! It's a great evolutionary version of Andersen's
"hugly duckling". ... Have a g'day (as we say here)
Olivier Bruge,
Canberra, Australia.
Unknown Australian Spanworm is Pink Bellied Moth Caterpillar
(10/02/2008)
Happy new year. 2 queries please, the spider had immobilised
the bee, is that its tongue sticking out and what do bees
use such a large tongue for? The caterpillar is on a flowering
gum in my garden in Queensland and i wondered if you could
identify it for me. Thanking you,
dawn lewis
Hi Dawn,
Bees have long tongues to lap up nectar from plants. Your
caterpillar seems to be some species of Inch Worm or Spanworm
in the family Geometridae. We found an awesome webpage of
Australian
Geometridae, but had no luck identifying your caterpillar
exactly. Caterpillars in this family are also known as Loopers,
Measuring Worms and Twig Caterpillars.
Update: (01/04/2008) Unknown owlet moth from
Australia
Dear Daniel,
Going on my own observations, it looks very much like the
caterpillar of the Hakea or Pink-bellied Moth, Oenochroma
vinaria, posted on WTB on 11/11/07. The caterpillar has
small white dots over its body and also some yellow larger
dots along the back. There are two "horns" just behind the
head. When disturbed, the caterpillar rears up, showing its
horns more clearly. When at rest, it is well camouflaged,
looking just like a brown stick. And a Happy New Year to you
and all WTB readers, also.
Grev
Gaudy Sphinx Caterpillar
(01/01/2008) could you identify this thing?
Could you identify this bug for me? It was found a few days
ago in San Antonio, TX. Thanks.
James Nguyen
Hi James,
This is a Gaudy Sphinx Moth Caterpillar, Eumorpha labruscae.
The caterpillar is a very effective snake mimic. The shape
of the head and the illusion of eyespots help keep this species
from becoming bird food.
Poecila
Sphinx Caterpillar
(12/30/2007) caterpillat ID help!
Ask that Bug!
I think I have incorrectly identified the attached photo as
a Tobacco hornworm. None of my books are much help.
It is the color that has me puzzled. The Sphinx Moth
caterpillar is a reddish brown, but I do not see the "horn"
on it, so if you can help, please do. Thanks a lot!
Ruth Smith
Caterpilar ID help #2
Dear Bug people!
I forgot to mention the locale of the previous photo....the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan in August. Also since the 1st
e-mail, I have concluded that this may be in the family of
Sphinx Moth Caterpillars, but not sure which one. They seem
to prefer grape vines. Thisi s a willow branch, but it was
eating and wiggling a lot! Thanks again for your help.
Ruth Smith
Hi Ruth,
We wrote back to you after getting your first letter with
a request for additional information including location and
food plant, without realizing that you had sent a second email.
The location in Michigan was a tremendous help. We are relatively
certain this is a color sport of the Peocila Sphinx, Sphinx
poecila. Wow, a palandrome!!!!! We located an image on Bill
Oehlke's wonderful website that indicates he raised a
group of caterpillars of the Poecila Sphinx and he noticed
that: "One of the larvae was considerably darker than the
others and upon moving into the fifth instar took on a dramatic,
deep purple colouration. " We will try to contact Bill Oehlke
to see if he agrees that this is a dark Sphinx poecila. Bill
Oehlke quickly wrote back: "Yes, it is poecila" in confirmation
of our identification.
Hummingbird Clearwing Caterpillar
12/29/2007) Reply ASAP!
Hi,
I just stumbled across your site in my rush to find out what
kind of bug this is I photographed. It's being submitted to
a local magazine, but I need the name of it before the deadline
Sunday night! This was a last minute thing. I don't even know
if your site is 'current'...or how often you receive/reply
to emails. I'm crossing my fingers at how soon or "if"
I might hear back from you. I've bookmarked your site--I can't
wait to look through the other pages. Love the Luna Moths!
Oh, by the way this picture was taken here in Maine where
I live....in case that helps. In the meantime, I'll continue
my own research on it! ugh!! Thank you,
Stephanie Lovell
Hi Stephanie,
This is a Hummingbird Clearwing Caterpillar, Hemaris thysbe.
Good luck getting your photo published. Meanwhile, we will
have it on our homepage for a few days.
Luna Moth emerges from Cocoon
(12/27/2007) Emerging Luna Moth
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel.
I see you love Luna Moths as much as I do. Here is an
emerging male I was fortunate enough to photograph. He
climbed the stick, expanded his wings and was released into
the WI woods. Peace,
Dwaine
Thanks Dwaine,
Your Luna Moth emergence image fills a significant void in
our Luna Moth documentation.
Cerisy's Sphinx: Mating adults and Caterpillar
(12/23/2007) Sphinx Moths?
We found these two on our garage in San Pablo CA. My guess
was either some species of Sphinx moth or Hawk moth. What
do you guys think?
(12/22/2007) What species is this?
We found this Caterpillar in Our driveway. We live in San
Pablo California which is part of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Can You tell me what species it is?
 
Your mating adult moths and the caterpillar are the same
species, Cerisy's Sphinx, Smerinthus cerisyi, which is pictured
on Bill
Oehlke's excellent website.
Basket Pupae: Bumelia Webworm Moth
(12/19/2007) Gainesville, Florida bugs
These ‘insect items’ were found on the edge of
a small, spring-fed, swampy area adjacent to a sandhill.
(I know that sounds crazy, but this area of Florida is a bit
unpredictable. They were about 2ft above ground level
on a pine trunk. There were only 2. I Did
not look for it on your site, as I have no idea where to begin.
Butterfly or beetle? Who knows? The ‘baskets’
containing the pupae(?) are about 2cm long, so basket and
attachment are about 4-5 cm in length. Sorry about the
poor photo quality. Thank you,
Heather Martin
Senior Environmental Specialist
Alachua County Environmental Protection Department
Gainesville, Fl.
 
Hi Heather,
We don't believe these are Moth Pupae, and we are putting
out some additional inquiries in an effort to get you an exact
identification. Perhaps some Neuropteran or a Caddisfly or
other aquatic insect.
Additional Inquiry
(12/29/2007) Basket Cocoons? Weird Pupae?
One of our environmentalists found these weird cocoons or
pupae attached to what she thinks was a “Pond Pine” or Spruce.
Do you know what they are? Thank you,
Chelé Aulabaugh, Librarian
Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Gainesville
,FL
Update
(12/20/2007) Basket Cocoons? Weird Pupae?
We received a reply from Dr. Heppner at CSU Florida. He wrote:
" These are fairly rare: pupal cases and cocoon of the small
gray moth, Urodus parvula (family Urodidae). The larvae feed
on Bumelia, then crawl away to pupate somewhere." If you have
anything to add, we would sure appreciate it! And if you
couldn't find anything out....then perhaps we all have a mystery
solved. Here's hoping you have a wonderful holiday season!
Chelé
Hi Chelé,
The scientific name you provided led us to a BugGuide
Page on the Bumelia Webworm Moth. Thanks for supplying
the information.
American Lady Caterpillars and Chrysalis
(12/18/2007)
Dear Bugman,
I’ve enclosed 2 photos of caterpillars. Are they
the same or different? They were both on my licorice
plant in my window boxes on my back deck this summer.
Voracious eaters! (I had several) They have
black ‘droppings’, and they spin a small web-like
area in the leaves to hide out in. They munched dow
big time, then after a few days, there were cocoons nearly
the color of the leaves. I’ve enclosed a picture of
one. I think they are American Painted Ladies, but not
sure. Can you help? Thanks! I am in northcentral CT,
btw.
Susan
 
Hi Susan,
You are correct. These are American Lady Caterpillars, Vanessa
virginiensis. They are highly variable caterpillars, but the
two white spots per segment are a distinctive marking. By
the way, we are unsure of the exact species of the moth in
your other email.
Brazilian Monkey Slug Caterpillar
(12/18/2007) What is this?
Hi,
I found this insect in my garden, located in Brazil southeast
(São Paulo, São Paulo), i have no ideia of what
is it, I tried to understand this the hole day. It has 1,5cm-2,0cm,
still alive, but don't move frequently. the shape is what
I think is more interesting. Can you answer what is it???
Thanks
Luiz Fernando R. de Sá
Brazil
Hi Luiz,
This caterpillar bears a striking similarity to the Monkey
Slug Caterpillar found in the Southern U.S. Though it might
be a different genus, we believe it is still in the Slug Moth
Family Limacodidae.
Slug Moth Caterpillars often have stinging spines, so handle
with caution.
Thanks for the anwser! I could discover what bug was!
Here this bug is called "Lagarta-Aranha" something like "Spider
Catterpillar" in English, real thanks! Have a nice day
Giant
Atlas Moth Caterpillar
(12/18/2007) Dear What’s That Bug,
Please find attached a photo of a new resident we have at
one of the properties that we manage in Phuket, Thailand.
This chap and hundreds of his mates (and possibly relatives)
have taken residence on one of the trees in the gardens. Obviously
we are keen to identify him (or her) and find ways to limit
the affects of his insatiable appetite before we loose too
much foliage. Thanking you for your consideration regarding
this matter. With kind regards,
Mark.
PS : This particular individual is approx. 10 cms long and
has a diameter of approx. 2.5 cms
Hi Mark,
We are nearly certain this is a Giant Atlas Moth Caterpillar,
Attacus atlas. We found a wonderful website
with images of the entire life cycle. The Giant Atlas Moth
is one of the largest moths in the world, with the greatest
wing area but not the greatest wing span. Giant Atlas Moths
are frequently featured in insect collections as well as in
popular butterfly exhibits in zoos. Specimens for exhibits
and collections are generally reared in captivity. You should
be able to capitalize on the mating flight of the adult moths
when they emerge as a tourist attraction as a fair exchange
for your foliage loss. Thanks for contributing to our site.
Dear Daniel,
Wow, thanks for the speedy reply - you guys really know your
Lepidoptera (new word for me). Once you had correctly identified
the species, I also did a little but of searching on the Internet
to find out more about our guests. Seems that the ones with
the spikes / feathers are most likely male. For your information,
on the tree in question (as yet unidentified) all the individuals
I was able to observe were male. Is this normal ? Or have
external environmental factors conspired to limit their reproductive
capacity in some way ? I only ask as I am informed that certain
reptiles have the sex of their progeny dictated by nest temperature.
I also found out that on occasion, the Giant Atlas Moth can
stay for years in its cocoon. Why is this so ? Does a good
nights sleep, supersede the promise of unbridled mothly passion
or does this wobbly, hungry little guest realize that once
out of the cocoon, his days are numbered ? On an un-related
note, about six months ago this particular property woke up
to find almost every woody surface covered in the casings
of cicada's. It was quite eerie and I felt like I had walked
onto the set of some strange B-Movie about an invasion of
small, but ferocious looking insects. Curious Place. I wonder
what's next. Thanks again for your help and if we find any
more unusual species we will definitely give you and your
team a call. With kind regards,
Mark.
PS : For your information, we will not interfere with their
life cycle. Although some of my landscaping staff are keen
to throw furidan at the problem. Yes, furidan is readily available
here and sold over the counter for next to nothing - some
peanuts or a small bag of sea shells. Hopefully none of the
Villa or Apartment owners will notice or comment on the extra
sunshine coming through the canopy or the strange brown balls
underfoot.
Hi Mark,
We are not entirely convinced that only the male caterpillars
have spikes. We venture that nothing short of DNA analysis
can correctly determine the sex of caterpillars. Regarding
staying in the pupa stage for several years, we believe there
are two possible explanations. If not all moths emerge from
the pupa in the same season, the perpetuation of the species
is more likely. Also, some species await optimum conditions
of temperature and humidity to emerge to better ensure a food
source for the young caterpillars, though in tropical climates,
this seems less likely a factor. The bottom line is that we
are just not sure.
Emperor Gum Moth Caterpillar
(12/17/2007) Australian Caterpillar - Green with blue and
orange hairs/spikes
Hi all,
I found this caterpillar in my eucalyptus tree in Victoria,
Australia. He has been living there for at least the past
3 weeks and has been eating and growing constantly. I had
a good look on your site but could not seem to identify him.
I am curious about what he is and what type of butterfly or
moth he will become. If you can help me at all that would
be greatly appreciated! Thanks,
Angela
 
Hi Angela,
We have been searching the internet for your answer. At first
we thought this might be the Helena Gum Moth, Opodiphthera
helena. There is a website
with good documentation of the life cycle. It didn't seem
like a perfect match though. Continued searching revealed
a related species, the Emperor
Gum Moth, Opodiphthera eucalypti. Your caterpillar appeared
on an Australian stamp in 2003.
Luna Moth: Caterpillar and Adult
(12/14/2007) Luna Moth
Here are some more pics to add to your already extensive collection
of great shots!
Nicholas and Jessica
 
Hi Nicholas and Jessica,
We believe this is the first time we have received images
of an adult Luna Moth and Caterpillar in the same posting.
Thanks for the submission, but we wish you had included information
on the time of year and location.
I am not sure if I sent a reponse to your inquiry regarding
time and location so I thought I would make sure you got the
info. I live in Raleigh, NC The Larvae was in 9/29/06 and
the Moth was 5/20/06(gotta love digital)
Buck Moth Caterpillar
(12/13/2007) caterpillar ID
Hi there,
Would you be able to ID this for me? I found it at Goose Lake
in the campground on Hwy 24, just outside of Little Fort,
British Columbia. Thanks very much.
Jody Foster
Hi Jody Foster,
This is some species of Buck Moth Caterpillar in the genus
Hemileuca, but we are not certain of the species. BugGuide
has images of caterpillars.
Update: (12/14/2007) your recent Hemileuca
photo
Hi, I was looking at your site today and saw the photo of
the Hemileuca photo from British Columbia dated: 12/13/2007.
I think the species would be one of the following: Hemileuca
eglanterina eglanterina Hemileuca hera Hemileuca nevadensis
Hemileuca nuttalli These are the only Hemileuca spp. found
in British Columbia. I'm not sure of the exact species but
I thought I'd narrow it down to these four species.
Ryan
Monarch Caterpillar
(12/12/2007) What is this caterpiller?
Found on wild lantana in Ramrod Key, Florida
Beryn Harty
Hi Beryn,
It is a Monarch Caterpillar feeding on milkweed, not lantana.
Parasitized
Tobacco Hornworm and Brachonid Wasp: Vintage Photograph
(12/12/2007) Brachonid wasp/Hornworm
Hi Bugman! I'm in the process of digitizing some old
slides. This was taken in Aug 1971 near West Point,
IN and shows a Brachonid wasp-infected Tobacco hornworm facing
his nemesis. Peace,
Dwaine
 
Hi Dwaine,
What a gorgeous image. It makes us a bit nostalgic for Kodachrome.
Tussock Moth Caterpillar
(12/03/2007) caterpillar?
Found this on a mimosa tree in my yard. Can't figure
out what it is. Thanks!
Leah
Hi Leah,
This is a Tussock Moth Caterpillar in the genus Dasychira,
possibly Dasychira basiflava, the Yellow-Based Tussock Moth
as evidenced by images on BugGuide.
Another Gulf Fritillary Metamorphosis
(11/29/2007) Gulf Fritillary metamorphosis.
I just thought I would share with ya some pictures I took
of a gulf fritillary butterfly i found as a caterpillar. I
hope you enjoy them.
Mike D
 
Hi Mike,
Shortly before you sent in your letter, we posted another
letter depicting the metamorphosis of the Gulf Fritillary,
and we chose it for our Bug of the Month.
Owlet Moth Caterpillar: Armyworm? or Cutworm?
(11/29/2007) Mystery Lep on Eucomis flowering plant
Daniel
This noctuid larva was on a Eucomis flower plant originating
from a nursery in CA. A long trip to Michigan for a
pillar. I was wondering if you or you viewers have ever
seen this before. The caterpillar might be a species
of Spodoptera. The attached photos were taken by James
Zablotny. I've said it before and will keep saying it
"Luv Your Site". Thanks
Brian
Hi Brian,
We are inclined to agree that this might be some species of
Owlet Moth Caterpillar in the family Noctuidae, possibly an
Armyworm
in the genus Spodotera. Another possibility is another group
of Noctuids known as the Cutworms.
Bug
of the Month: December 2007
Gulf
Fritillary Metamorphosis
(11/29/2007) thanx
You guys have been wonderful and I appreciate your getting
back to me with some answers. I am sending you all a couple
of shots of the changes in a gulf fritillary butterfly I happened
to catch all happening at the same time. I hope they are of
some use . Again, keep up the good work. This is a fantastic
site. I just wish you could input colors on the search area
because I don't know exactly where to look to find some of
these critters until I get an answer back. Thanx,
Scott Austin TX
 
Hi Scott,
It is time for us to choose the Bug of the Month for December,
and we will be using your wonderful documentation of the metamorphosis
of the Gulf Fritillary. This lovely orange butterfly has caterpillars
that feed on passionflower, and can be found in warmer climates
in the U.S. where that plant is cultivated, including California,
Arizona, Texas and Florida. We know that our website has numerous
problems, but at this point, it is such a behemoth, it probably
cannot ever be tamed.
Imperial Moth Caterpillar
(11/24/2007) question on a caterpillar...
Hi there,
Love the site. Can you help me identify this one?
It was in our front yard about a month ago. It measures
4-5 inches long. Biggest caterpillar I’ve encountered
here. We had a very wet summer and have found many interesting
things this fall including a Texas Brown tarantula (which
we have as a pet now!). Thanks!
Penley
Austin Texas
Hi Penley,
This is an Imperial Moth Caterpillar. There are several color
variations in addition to the orange coloration in your photo.
They might also be green, blue-green, golden or brown. They
feed on a on the leaves of variety of deciduous and coniferous
trees. Yellow and purple adults do not feed and live but a
few days.
White-Lined
Sphinx Caterpillar
(11/22/2007)
ID of caterpillar
Can you tell me what type this is
Looks like the highly variable White-Lined Sphinx Caterpillar.
Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
(11/18/2007) swallowtail
I think this is some type of swallowtail. I found it
in Shenandoah National Park. Could you identify it for
me? I plan on printing out a poster of it. I also
thought you could post it cause I thought it was a very good
pic. Thanks,
Brady
Hi Brady,
This is a Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar and it should
make a lovely poster.
Two Buck Moth Caterpillars and Unknown Caterpillar
(11/17/2007) cats?
Hi Bugman,
I just found your site and I LOVE IT!! Went through your 12
pages of caterpillars trying to identify these three specimens
photographed on the high plains of Wyoming. The reddish
one seems to be an Echo moth (Seirarctia echo) and the blue
one most closely resembles a Tetrio sphinx moth. I know
of global warming but both are neotropical, how did they get
in Wyoming...hitch- hike?? Red cat photographed 7/5/07
in badlands near Douglas, WY; pasture nearby, cottonwood trees
1/2 mile away. Blue cat photographed 9/28/05 north of
Lance Creek, WY; sagebrush pasture, a few juniper within 1/2
mile. The black cat was photographed 6/12/07 on young sagebrush
in a high plains pasture of northern Natrona county, no trees
within miles. Any help with definite identifications will
be most gratefully received.
Dwaine Wagoner
Casper, WY
Hi Dwaine,
We have identified your black caterpillar first. This is a
Buck Moth in the genus Hemileuca. It might be the Hera
Buckmoth, Hemileuca hera, which has been reported from
Wyoming. It does feed on sage. If this identification is not
correct (the Butterflies and Moths of North America does not
have a caterpillar image but the one on BugGuide
looks very similar, though not exact), it might also be Nuttall's
Sheepmoth, Hemileuca nuttalli, another western species listed
in Wyoming that feeds on sage. There is only an adult moth
image on the Butterflies
and Moths of North America.
We agree that your red caterpillar is probably an Arctiid,
though not the Echo Moth. We have not had any luck identifying
it but we will try to contact Julian Donahue to see if he
recognizes it.
Correction (11/18/2007)
Sorry. My guess would be a hemileucine saturniid. Check out
Paul Tuskes book on the Saturniidae of North America, which
I think illustrates all the larvae. Julian
 
Finally, we do not believe your blue specimen is a caterpillar.
We think it might be a Sawfly Larva, though we cannot match
it on BugGuide.
Eric Eaton is not currently available, but we will email him
and hope he gets back to us next week. If we are wrong about
this being a Sawfly, it might be some beetle grub.
Update: (11/26/2007)
Hi, Daniel:
I 'think' it is a caterpillar, but I've not seen anything
like it before. It is not a sawfly, and I'm relatively confident
it is not a beetle grub, as most beetle larvae are not that
colorful.
Eric
Brown
Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar
(11/16/2007) Unknown Caterpillar
Hi:
Took this photo in Sept., 2004, just South East of Wooster,
Ohio. I have spent more than three years trying to indentify
this caterpillar with no luck. Can you help me???
Richard (Dick) Pratt
Wooster, Ohio
Hi Dick,
Now that you know this is a Brown Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillar,
Cucullia convexipennis, you can search BugGuide
and other internet sites for information on this attractive
caterpillar.
Slug Moth Caterpillar
(11/14/2007) unknown green bug
WTB,
I've visited your site many times just to look through all
of the interesting photos. My dad had me handling all
types of insects and reptiles by the time I was a toddler
so I don't have any problems having them around me. I
try not to kill any bugs that I find around my house and yard
unless they become destructive. This past weekend I
was working in my garden under a large oak tree when I came
across an unusuall bug that I've never seen before.
I don't think it was dead even though it didn't move once
when I picked up the leaf it was on, not even when I gently
nudged it with a twig. It was about half an inch long
at best guess, didn't have any spines on it, and the
color in the attached picture is accurate. I posted
the picture on a garden forum site and some of the guesses
posted were Plumbago or Zebra Blue (Leptotes plinius), spiny
oak-slug caterpillar (Euclea delphinii), and a mealybug.
I looked up all of them on the internet but couldn't find
any pictures that really matched the bug I found. What
do you think it might be? Thank you,
Kara Ericson
Hi Kara,
This is a Slug Moth Caterpillar without a common name. It
is Isa textula and it does sting.
Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars
(11/12/2007) Here's a picture
I took these pictures in my back yard in Pacifica, CA. (since
you ask for a better one than on your site) Thanks for
telling us that they were the black swallowtail. They
were on a Fennel plant but did not cocoon there... Blessings,
Tori Prince
Hi Tori,
Black Swallowtail Caterpillars and Anise Swallowtail Caterpillars
look very similar. Black Swallowtails are found in the Eastern
U.S. and Anise Swallowtails in the West. Your caterpillars
are Anise Swallowtails.
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