Caterpillars only for ID (1 Viewer)

AndrewParker · Apr 14, 2005

Wandered Scot said:
Ken, I don't know but probably not!

Before last Sept. I would have laughed at the suggestion, but then I got Hannibal my Cannibal, Noct.Hel. Heliocoverpa armigera

Jim,

I don't know if you have just been lucky, but a number of caterpillars have quite a reputation for cannibalism (and predation on other species). The Angle Shades is one as far as I remember. In my youth when I did keep caterpillars I lost quite few that way.

Andrew.

Surreybirder · Apr 15, 2005

New Naturalists "Moths" says that many species of caterpillar will become cannabalistic if food resources are short. Ken

Wandered Scot · Apr 15, 2005

Andrew,

I must just have so far been lucky, or as Ken suggests always given enough food source and more importantly I think space for those which do not normally stay as a group. Time will tell no doubt.

Jim

Surreybirder · Apr 15, 2005

Surreybirder said:
I found three larvae on a foxglove last night. Two were the same. All about 1" long. Any ideas on IDs, please?
Ken

This is a somewhat better photo of the lesser yellow underwing. It's interesting that I've now found four of these larvae in our wildflower garden as I only had a small no. of adults in the autumn. The wildflowers had hardly got started then, but it seems that at least one female decided to lay her eggs there.

Ken

Brian Stone · Apr 19, 2005

My unknown Geo is looking happy in his new home and has started to develop what looks like a bluish tinge. A much better pic attached showing lateral and dorsal view in case that helps anyone with an ID.

FWIW I reckon these are the candidates (or species I at least have not ruled out): Cream Wave (Scopula floslactata), Treble Brown Spot (Idaea trigeminata), Dotted Border Wave (Idaea sylvestraria), Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata).

Wandered Scot · Apr 26, 2005

Does anybody recognise this one?

I thought and still think it may have lichen as a food source, but cannot relate it to photos of commoner lichen eaters. It was on a wall and appeared to be eating a grey lichen, but so far does not like its new home and piece of specially sourced lichen covered gravestone from local grave stone mason!

Will be throwing alternatives of plants in too now.

Jim

Surreybirder · Apr 26, 2005

My brimstone moth has now pupated.
Ken

Wandered Scot · Apr 26, 2005

Oh Ken, and it didn't turn green? Then Brown is brown then!!! I'm still trying to see the 'redhead' on c. variant.

Jim

Surreybirder · Apr 26, 2005

No, Jim, purplish brown with a slight green cast at both ends till it 'disolved'. (And it didn't both burrowing into the soil either!
All the best
Ken

mothman · Apr 26, 2005

Wandered Scot said:
Does anybody recognise this one?

I thought and still think it may have lichen as a food source, but cannot relate it to photos of commoner lichen eaters. It was on a wall and appeared to be eating a grey lichen, but so far does not like its new home and piece of specially sourced lichen covered gravestone from local grave stone mason!

Will be throwing alternatives of plants in too now.

Jim

On first sight I thought "That's easy it's a Marbled Beauty"but when I looked in Porter, the dorsal area is yellow, and the lateral area is dark, and not the other way round as in your pic,so i think it could be one of your mainland jobbies,but I am sure the sub family Acronictinae or Cryphiinae(depending on your source) looks right, so it might be worth a Google.

Colin.

mothman · Apr 26, 2005

Cant find the larvae of Cryphia algae anywhere on the net (the only European Cryphiinae member for it left to be.)unless it's not a Cryp.

Colin.

Wandered Scot · Apr 27, 2005

Thank you for your efforts Colin, I will now have a look in that direction.

Yesterday I threw a good handfull of different plants and grass that I could grab in beside it. I noted later in the day it was on grass (goes to prove caterpillars are just like some people), and has since frassed! Oh joy, oh bliss, its settled down and got eating again!!

More interesting is what it has done, which again does suggest a specie related to rocks and stones. It seems really at home in it's wee layer.

Jim

Brian Stone · Apr 27, 2005

This does make it look even more like a Cryphia species (but I only have experience of Marbled Beauty (domestica) caterpillar and went through roughly the same process as Colin when I first saw your pic). Good luck with it.

Edit: to attach Marbled Beauty larva pic

mothman · Apr 27, 2005

Cryphia raptricula looks to have the same habits too, and seems more likely to feed on rock/wall lichens than C algae,the only problem is it also seems as rare on the internet.

Colin.

Wandered Scot · Apr 29, 2005

Thanks to both of you for direction on this, I think Colin you wrapped it up in your first reply as one of the mainland jobbies (although a jobby in our home district was something completely different).

And once again who crops up where they have not been recorded? Cryphia ravula. There appears to be no mistaking the caterpillar, and there is a very good scetch in the old 1910 book. I found a second one yesterday too, same place and the book says they feed on lichen (Parmelia). So here is hoping for a good pupation and hatching.

BTW C.algae is yellow grey, with grey white back, after the fourth segment triangular black markings on the back line. C.raptricula has a brown head, bluegrey appearance, with alternate orange and white patches along the upper side. Each segment has two black warts(3 stands in question 1910), and stigma are black ringed.

Thanks again.

Jim

Brian Stone · Apr 29, 2005

Glad that one is pinned down. Will you be letting leps.it have a pic? There do not appear to be any images on the web.

Wandered Scot · Apr 29, 2005

At the moment no.

Firstly there is variance with the adult form, and according to the book, the 2 caterpillars should be as the lesser seen form I got last year. I would like to be sure of that, and try to better the results that I have today. The main moth's caterpillar form has red patches, but I am not certain that means in place of the yellow ones or not.

Secondly, there are rumblings from downstairs about a proper data website here. My photos are being often associated with these rumblings. So for the moment I will wait to see what comes out of these rumblings.

Cheers

Jim

Wandered Scot · May 2, 2005

Brian, my unknown Geo. with underhanging black mark has pupated. What's yours doing?

Jim

Brian Stone · May 2, 2005

Still feeding I think and has changed appearance slightly. I'll try for a picture today.

Edit: Not convinced there is any difference in fact. Pic attached. Hope mine pupates soon. Did your's go into the soil?

Wandered Scot · May 3, 2005

That looks like it is developing, but still a bit of flabby skin to it.

Yes mine did go into earth, but not deep. It was using a leaf as a top deck, but I think it was an opportunistic thing rather than it searched for it.

My rolly polly, has died. Now I will call it a maggot for doing so! The wee green Noct from Raglitz that I found on my hand has disappeared, may have died, as I found what may have been the sludge of a dead one, or a skin shed, regardless it is gone.

Several of my overwintering Noct. have or are now in process of pupating.

All 4 projects planned this year are now up and running, life has ended, caterpillars disturb and break my sleep, thank goodness my partner has a love for me and mother nature!!

2 of the 4 caterpillar "traps" (5m x3m) around the grounds of the research centre are now out; Hornbeam, and Norway maple. Oak and ash to follow in the next two weeks, see attached. They will not catch all caterpillars, but do give us a good chance to see what is on the go. Maybe we can make some money from the dried frass pellets, as real bio friendly dung, unbelievable the daily quantity.

The school class project introduction is past and we do the first outing on Friday morning. That is a great challenge, maybe young people 12 To 14 year olds are a bit more forgiving when I make a pronounciation or word mistake!!

Cheers

Jim

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