Caterpillar ID?

Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:11 pm

I tried on my own and can't find out what this is. We have had an influx of a certain butterfly this year, I can not for the life of me remember the name of it right now :S.

Anyone seen these before? I found 2 hiding in my potato plants about 6" from each other, so I'm guessing I have lots more!

Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:15 pm

Don't know what it is, bit it's a cutie.

Is it eating the potato leaves?
are you going to try raising it?

Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:16 pm

Wow....it looks a lot like this caterpillar:

I took that pic in the middle of nowhere in South Africa! Which I don't think you're anywhere near! :lol:

Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:28 pm

Vanessa, it may be a Baltimore butterfly caterpillar. They are in your area, and it is a possibility. Wish I could be more definite!

Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:06 am

This site:

http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?guide=Caterpillars

is helpful for identifying caterpillars.

Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:50 am

Discover life was my first stop, but no luck.

I'm not sure if it was eating the leaves or not. I think I *may* have fed one to the chickens... (it probably got mixed in with the weeds I threw in there & didn't get eaten); and I left the other one in the garden. :lol:

That was really all I could think to do with them!

We have cucumber beetles on the potatoes so can I pretend the catterpillar was eating them?

Yeah guess not...

The Baltimore is similar, but it's more stripy and this caterpillar was more spotty. I'm also wondering if it was entering a different larval stage which is why it's a little dull?

Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:34 am

Try butterfliesandmoths.org

Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:24 pm

That mostly just sent me back to discover life again :\ I'm exploring the other sites though, thanks!

Guess I'm going to have to go out to my garden and see if I can catch one! :shock:

I'm sure I've got an aquarium around here somewhere...

Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:50 am

nes this site may be helpful these two are from canada

http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/butterf ... ndex_e.php

http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/butterf ... food_e.php

Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:29 pm

Ah! Thanks Shady

It's Red Admirals we've been taken over by, unfortunately this guy is not a red admiral caterpillar hmm....

Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:09 pm

Well it sure is a good look a-like

found this site.

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/126405894

Also this which is interesting I'll say, scroll down to bottom towards the findings of Juvenai's dustlywing, on it's left is the IMG_8408 they could be twins :lol:

http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/butterfly_caterpillars

Good luck to your findings and I hope you will share them with us

Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:15 pm

Ooops

it's the bottom of the last in the row here at this site that could pass for twins, which is called Red Admiral- sure looks like the one that is posted, twice! I apologize. Good luck to your findings.
http:// www.pbase.com/tmurray74/butterfly_caterpillars