Is anyone able to confirm this as a Ghost moth (Hepialus humili) caterpillar?
It was 42mm long, found at night above ground at Mill Green Common, Essex. This seems odd as it feeds and pupates underground.
I'm assuming that its size and darker markings separate it from the other swifts.
Ghost moth caterpillar?
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Essex Bertie
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Brentwood, Essex
Ghost moth caterpillar?
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Re: Ghost moth caterpillar?
It's definitely one of the species that either feeds underground or inside plant stems but couldn't pinpoint which one from my books, they all look pretty similar. A suggestion though could be the Frosted Orange Gortyna flavago 
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Essex Bertie
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2010 6:16 pm
- Location: Brentwood, Essex
Re: Ghost moth caterpillar?
Hi Bugboy,
Good find! I didn't think it would be anything but a 'swift'. The Frosted Orange looks a better match, with the black saddle behind the head. There's foxglove at the site too. It just seems a tad bigger than you might expect during May. Thank you for looking.
Good find! I didn't think it would be anything but a 'swift'. The Frosted Orange looks a better match, with the black saddle behind the head. There's foxglove at the site too. It just seems a tad bigger than you might expect during May. Thank you for looking.