|
|
Post by kleftiwallah on Sept 18, 2018 12:19:00 GMT
There is a black hairy caterpillar asleep in the top corner of an outside window. After searching the usual areas it may be The Giant Leopard moth caterpillar, the Cream-spot Tiger moth caterpillar or the White Ermine moth caterpillar. Now here's the question, why is it still a caterpillar and not a crysalis? ? Cheers, Tony.  P.S. how do I move this forum onto my favourites row? |
|
|
|
Post by Tringa on Sept 18, 2018 13:16:56 GMT
I'm guessing as you are on WABI you are in the UK or Ireland. If so, then your caterpillar is very unlikely to be a Giant Leopard moth as it does not naturally occur here, unless there have been some escapes from somewhere.
The others are possible - the White Ermine is widespread; the Cream Spot Tiger is more restricted, mainly southern England and Wales.
Caterpillars around at this time is not that unusual. Some moths overwinter as caterpillars.
Do you have a photo of the caterpillar you saw? If so, it would help with the ID.
Dave
By, " how do I move this forum onto my favourites row? ", do you mean adding it to your bookmarks in your web browser? In Firefox I just click on "Bookmarks" and then "Bookmark this page".
|
|
|
|
Post by duncan74 on Sept 18, 2018 15:02:28 GMT
Hi Tony,
Welcome to WABI, If you want to find out what the species is you can do what I have done quite often, and that is to raise the caterpillar through it's stages to pupation in a container, I use a Persil capsule container with holes drilled in the lid, be sure to wash it out thoroughly, right,! where in the garden did it come from? what plants do you have in it,? find out what the food plants are? get your container and half fill it with compost, not too wet, and put the caterpillar in it, put some different foliage in as well and check to see which foliage it is eating, a lot of moth caterpillars burrow into the ground to pupate and you won't see them till next year, if you have the patience this is the road to take, I have reared a little white grub that I found while dissecting a Barn Owl pellet, I put some pellets in my container, put 2 grubs in and waited, found a moth in the container, it was a Skin Moth - Monopsis laevigella UK Moths 227,
Good luck if you try this it's quite rewarding
Duncan
|
|
