www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I have spent some time yesterday trying to identify this caterpillar but the plates in my French book are not very good.... Can anyone help?
I found this caterpillar in my garden in South Wales near nettles and herb Robert, it was on the ground. I put it back where I found it after I took the pictures.
Thanks
Sylvie

Possibly Orache Moth. Known to feed on Knotgrass

This looks as though it ought to be easy to identify, but I can't see anything in Porter that convinces. Not an Orache, I'm afraid. See lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Trachea_Atriplicis.

M.

Hi Chris and Mikhael,

Thank you for your help. It is a difficult one ! I have had a look on the link you have provided Mikhael. What an interesting website ! There is a lot of work and research done on the moths (I have not looked at the butterfly pages yet)... For anybody who can read German I would recommend it.
Sylvie

Hi Sylvie, the closest I can get is Buff Ermine. The markings are a good match but your one looks to have lost most of its bristles!

http://mothdissection.co.uk/species.php ... soma_lutea

Nigel

I think you've got it Nigel... many species of caterpillar loose their hairs shortly before pupation and if this one was galloping around on the ground, it was probably on it's way to bed. They often spin the hairs together with silk to form part of a cocoon, but maybe this one was just a bit early losing its hair (or was disturbed when it was just about to pupate). Premature hair loss happens to many of us

Trev

Hi Nigel,
Thank you so much for your identification ! This is great, I know now what it is and will add it to my garden sightings list. I found the caterpillar of the white ermine last year (it had a lot of hairs though) and it is good to know that I have the buff ermine breeding in my garden also. So thank you again.

Hi Trev,
Thank you for the information. I may have indeed disturbed it as I was getting some home made 'peat' for my herbs when I found it galloping on the ground next to me....
Sylvie