caterpillar ID

[arghman]

I'm good w/ plant IDs but bad w/ animals.

anyone know this one? it was in the Alpine Garden last year.

 

[nartreb]

Probably a woolly bear (tiger moth larva). No idea what species.

Another common furry group is the tussock moths, but they usually have a set of clumps that stick up higher than the rest.

 

[gaiagirl]

The tussocks tend to have really obvious spikes and tufts so I think this has to be a wooly bear. It looks like the Yellow Wooly Bear to me.

 

[arghman]

thanks! It does look like a tiger moth / woolly bear. Not sure I can match it with any of the 'net photos of Spilosoma virginica = yellow woolly bear though.

I suppose this could be one of those obscure alpine ones.

btw, umm... on caterpillars how do you tell which end is which? I have photos of monarch butterfly caterpillars and it looks like there are antennae at both ends. ("inlet" and "outlet" ports are not readily visible)

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

...btw, umm... on caterpillars how do you tell which end is which? I have photos of monarch butterfly caterpillars and it looks like there are antennae at both ends. ("inlet" and "outlet" ports are not readily visible)

On the Monarch's, the inlet has the smaller pointed feet and longer antenna.

 

[TDawg]

While there is a caterpillar thread going (don't mean to hijack it), anyone know what this one is?



It was photographed in Maine on the AT east of Orbeton Stream in the Saddleback area. I've seen at least one in NH that I can remember.

 

[Zimmer]

American Dagger Moth.

 

[nartreb]

>on caterpillars how do you tell which end is which?

Wait for it to move. Fake antennae and fake eyes can be quite convincing.

On many species the anterior has smaller, more insect-like legs. When frightened, caterpillars tend to tuck their head and anterior legs under their body, making them hard to spot, but you can look for the end that's a bit more curled.

head is on the left