Caterpillar id

[Gwenhwyfar]

Some one has sent me a couple of pics asking for an Id, anyone know what it is?

caterpillar-002.jpg (61.72 KiB) Viewed 650 times

caterpillar-004.jpg (28.04 KiB) Viewed 652 times

[Paul]

Pale Tussock???????

[m_galathea]

You may well be right there Paul. Both of the pics look rather dark on my monitor but I've put the lower one through photoshop and there are four tussocks on the back, not ruling out your ID. It looks like a member of the Lymantriidae or Arctiidae for a start anyway.

[Pete Eeles]

Looks more like a Fox moth or Oak Eggar to me - but the hairs protruding out of the back end are confusing me

Cheers,

- Pete

[Tony Moore]

Looks exactly like Fox moth to me. Surely the velvety black rings on the top pic are unmistakeable, and the time is right. Happy to be shot down by those with greater experience than me

[m_galathea]

I do not think it is a Fox moth, Oak Eggar or any other member of the Lasiocampidae. These do not have the four tufts of hair that the pictured species has, nor the hairs at the back that Pete mentions. Also the side hairs are highly grouped which to my eyes does not match the Lasiocampidae family.
Alexander

[Gwenhwyfar]

I managed to lighten this one a bit, thats the last pic I've been given.
Any more final thoughts??

caterpillar 003--.jpg (41.41 KiB) Viewed 565 times

[Pete Eeles]

Ah - I can see the tufts now! Hmmm. Looks like a Pale or Dark Tussock - but I've never seen one that is brown before!

Cheers,

- Pete

[m_galathea]

The ukleps website shows a fairly brown form of a final instar Pale Tussock larva:

http://www.ukleps.org/Proms/2028s.jpg

[Gwenhwyfar]

So pale tussock it is then, thanks guys.