Caterpillar ID

Ratatoskr · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2012, 08:59 PM

Hi all,

Long time again. Hope all are still here and doing fine.

This caterpillar was photographed in the middle of the summer, July 25. I thought I had written up the size of it but can't find it in the little book I carry with me. I recall it being max 2cm long.
20-40meters from a lake and quite open terrain.
Southern Sweden.

I can't find it among sites I've checked.
Any idea what it is, or any directions to point me to?

Thanks !

goosey · #2 (**permalink**) 09-03-2012, 09:44 AM

Hi Ratatoskr, looking at the head, I don't think it is Lepidopteran but possibly a sawfly larva.
Hope this helps, I will check out some sites later and see if I can nail it, but Arp may know

.

jaguarondi · #3 (**permalink**) 09-03-2012, 06:28 PM

it's a buff ermine caterpillar. See -
Caterpillar of Buff Ermine Moth Spilosoma Luteum - Wildlife Photography

Just a suggestion

Ratatoskr · #4 (**permalink**) 09-03-2012, 07:54 PM

Thanks for replying.

Am I wrong in that sawflies are to have one eye, large one, on each side?
This is a shot of what I thought was a sawfly:
Sawfly larvae (Symphyta) Växtstekel-larv | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I'm not convinced it's a Spilosoma Luteum. Reading the description here doesn't fit. Especially the part "covered with reddish-orange hairs". Mine doesn't seem to have any reddish or for that matter colored hairs, and not in the thick bunch this one has. Can that change with age of the caterpillar?
Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum - UKMoths

It did get me closer to what I think it might be, but you guys/galls correct me if I'm wrong. I'd say it's at least some kind of Owlet moth caterpillar.

goosey · #5 (**permalink**) 09-03-2012, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratatoskr

Can that change with age of the caterpillar?
Buff Ermine Spilosoma luteum - UKMoths

.

Yes!
Certainly if like jaguarondi suggest that it is a moth larva. Moth larvae go through 4 changes before pupating, each change, depending on moth can alter the appearance dramatically. The name of these are instars, so you may see an image of a larva 2nd instar which looks so different than the the image of the same type of larva you are looking at. This makes looking for ID's difficult, unless each type of Lep larva shows image of all instars.
This website is the best I have come across, with many (sadly not all) species having, egg, 4 instar images, pupae and adult.
Eggs, Larvae, Pupae and Adult Butterflies and Moths

Ratatoskr · #6 (**permalink**) 10-03-2012, 10:07 AM

Thank you very much jaguarondi, and thanks Shirley.