Caterpillars ID (1 Viewer)

[SleepyLizard]

How good are you all on caterpillars. Here are 3 which you may be able to help me with.

1. This one was photrographed in Wester Ross, Scotland in September. Feeding on gorse by day. I didn't measure it at the time but it was probably between 30 and 40 mm.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~haggis63/001.jpg

2. This was shot last night. 42mm long. It was actually on my wall. I put it on the closest bush, a Buddleia, for the photo but it may not be what it was feeding on. Location, Easter Ross.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~haggis63/002.jpg

3. I beleive this is a Drinker moth (Euthrix potatoria) but please tell me if it's something else. Feeding on the grass as pictured. Location, Easter Ross.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~haggis63/Euthrix-potatoria.jpg

Any help appreciated.

Alan

 

[CJW]

I think this is one for Harry.

 

[Ranger James]

How good are you all on caterpillars. Here are 3 which you may be able to help me with.

1. This one was photrographed in Wester Ross, Scotland in September. Feeding on gorse by day. I didn't measure it at the time but it was probably between 30 and 40 mm.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~haggis63/001.jpg

2. This was shot last night. 42mm long. It was actually on my wall. I put it on the closest bush, a Buddleia, for the photo but it may not be what it was feeding on. Location, Easter Ross.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~haggis63/002.jpg

3. I beleive this is a Drinker moth (Euthrix potatoria) but please tell me if it's something else. Feeding on the grass as pictured. Location, Easter Ross.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~haggis63/Euthrix-potatoria.jpg

Any help appreciated.

Alan

Hi Alan,

Id go for:
1, Oak eggar
2, if it had very long, very fine hairs my guess would be an oak nycteoline, at its northern limit - hard to tell from photo if hairs present.
3, Drinker sounds good to me.

Cheers
James

 

[max davis]

Hi Alan,

Id go for:
1, Oak eggar
2, if it had very long, very fine hairs my guess would be an oak nycteoline, at its northern limit - hard to tell from photo if hairs present.
3, Drinker sounds good to me.

Cheers
James

Hi James and Alan,

Whilst I too agree with Drinker, I have reservations about the others for the foillowing reasons -

Oak Eggar caterpillars generally are more hairy in appearance and this is a very Northerly record if that is correct. Despite that, the colouration is certainly spot on for the species and considering at that length it would still have some growing to do it is a possible.

Oak nycteoline has a maximum size some 10mm+ smaller that the stated size of the caterpillar. Assuming the measurements are correct then this would appear to eliminate it as a possibility.

Having said all that I'm not sticking my own neck out based on the photos at this time. If I come up with anything from the text books I'll get back to you.

Max

 

[rogerk]

Hi Alan,

Id go for:
1, Oak eggar
2, if it had very long, very fine hairs my guess would be an oak nycteoline, at its northern limit - hard to tell from photo if hairs present.
3, Drinker sounds good to me.

Cheers
James

If no 2 were an oak nycteoline, it would be shorter. Oak nycteoline grows up to 20mm in length.
No 3 looks like Drinker, though still struggling with no 1.

 

[SleepyLizard]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I'm busy looking them all up which is interesting in itself. No.2 did not have any long hairs. In fact it was very smooth skinned.

Alan

 

[Ranger James]

In that case back to the drawing board...
JC

 

[harry eales]

I think this is one for Harry.

OOOOPs,
I just knew this would happen. heh, heh

Photo 1 Whilst similar to Northern Eggar and Fox Moth, I think this is the larvae of the Pale Eggar Trichiura crataegi The larvae are fairly easy to find, but catching the adults is a different matter, I have only ever had two or three at light in several decades of recording in habitat where larvae are frequently found. In the north of England, and more often in Scotland, the larvae takes two years to feed up. The ginger coloured hairs on the larvae are the give away in the Pale Eggar they are a lighter shade than either Fox Moth or Northern Eggar

Photo 2 No idea, it's the entomological equivilent of the birders 'Little Brown Job'.
There are hundreds of similar larvae and the only way to find out what species it is, would be to breed it out to the adult stage. :h?:

Photo 3 That's an easy one, it's a Drinker Moth larva Euthrix potatoria

Harry Eales.

 

[CJW]

See, I told you Harry would know.

All future larvae questions to be directed towards him please

 

[SleepyLizard]

Thank you Harry!

I was thinking of getting "The Colour Identification Guide to Caterpillars of the British Isles". Can anyone tell me if it's woirth getting.

Alan

 

[harry eales]

Hi Alan,
I dont have a copy myself, and have yet to have a good look at anyone else's copy, so in all honesty I cannot comment.
I use Bucklers volumes, South's 3 volumes and Wilsons Guide to the larvae of British Lepidoptera. All in their own way are fairly major works covering the last 130 years or so. Plus some assorted pamphlets.

Only the 3 books by South are available second hand at anything like reasonable prices, these days.

There are of course some species missing, being newly detected as British since the publication of these books but not many are likely to be found this far north anyway. The book you mention is on my 'Wants list' but it will have to wait until I have the money. I had to replace my vans exhaust yesterday which cost £150 bloody quid, so at present my financial position is back to normal, i.e. skintus brokus to use the Geordie Latin. lol.

Harry Eales.

 

[CJW]

I've got the book Alan (shouldn't really admit to it, 'cos you might start asking me i.d. questions!).
In all honesty, I can't 'get with it' but that's probably down to my lack of interest in the subject matter. Certainly, there are plenty of species illustrated at various ages, but on the occasions that I've used it, I've struggled to locate the right specimen. That said, I'm sure if I persisted I would find it invaluable.
On a different note, I wonder if my lack of interest in larvae stems from the fact that they don't fly! If you look at my other 'specialites' - birds, moths, butterflies and Odonata - they all have one thing in common....

 

[Ranger James]

Its a good book as long as you bear in mind the time honour restrictions of photographic ID. Colour varies so much and you are IDing from a single specimin photo etc etc.
But a lovely hardback yellow book for the shelf!

 

[SleepyLizard]

Thanks for all the the comments regarding the book.

I'm generally a little skintus brokus myself. However, my 16 year old son just lashed out and ordered in on Amazon for me. I must have done something right somewhere along the line

Alan

 

[harry eales]

Thanks for all the the comments regarding the book.

I'm generally a little skintus brokus myself. However, my 16 year old son just lashed out and ordered in on Amazon for me. I must have done something right somewhere along the line

Alan

Hi Alan,
I hope your son didn't pay too much for it. The NHBS have it on special offer at present at £40.00, thats a £10 reduction. Offer is open for a few months yet. See www.nhbs.com

Harry Eales.

 

[SleepyLizard]

£35 on Amazon with free postage

A 2nd hand one sold on Ebay for £30 recently with something like £4 for postage so we didn't do too badly.

Alan