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Caterpillar id
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:45 pm
by 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 651 times
- caterpillar-004.jpg (28.04 KiB) Viewed 653 times
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:36 pm
by Paul
Pale Tussock???????
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:50 pm
by 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.
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:45 pm
by 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
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:30 pm
by 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
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:49 pm
by 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
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:53 pm
by 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 566 times
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:05 pm
by 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
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:18 pm
by m_galathea
The ukleps website shows a fairly brown form of a final instar Pale Tussock larva:
http://www.ukleps.org/Proms/2028s.jpg
Re: Caterpillar id
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 6:54 pm
by Gwenhwyfar
So pale tussock it is then, thanks guys.
