Came across this yesterday walking in the forest.
Poor Cat!
Yes, they have so many predators!!! I watched a GST lay an egg on my little orange tree, went over and saw the egg and decided to to take it in after I finished with my gardening chores.
Well, when i went to get it two hours later I found two ants on it and they had emptied it out, leaving only the shell.
That was a new one for me, I didn't know that ants attacked butterfly eggs.
Josephine.
Cool information, thanks.
Yup, I've seen the ants eat sulphur eggs too.
I have them in the greenhouse....but then,these are tomato hormworms that were busy stripping my pinapple sage,lemon verbena and pineapple monarda.
Which predator laid the eggs?
I don't know but I hope it's that lil predator wasp
It is more than likely one of the Braconid Wasps that lay multiple eggs in the caterpillars. You may as well kill the caterpillar he is dead already but doesn't know it. It would save your plant too.
I don't know what (Predators)had gotten onto my Monarch caterpillars. All 5 tried to pupate and all failed. They spinned silk to form a J then turned black like charcoal before they can form a Chysalis. Who/what injected venom or eggs (into the caterpillars) were perhaps susceptible to the milkweed's toxicity within the caterpillars which inhibited the cats nor the parasitic larvae survival?
I had problems like that earlier this year with the first batch that came through. Five of my seven were dried or wings crimped. May have been this OE, not sure. Been washing things lately and have a bunch of chrysalis with hopes they turn out better.
http://www.mymonarchguide.com/2007/11/oe-on-caterpillars.html
It must be those OE infection. Terrible thing!
what type of cat is shown in the Sept. 11, photo? is this the same one shown in my photo?
better pic
Found them munching on oak leaves that had fallen into some of my flower pots. Don't think I have ever seen them before. Just wanted to know what they are.
It looks close to this one, but not sure;
http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/20/q?guide=Caterpillars
thank you, frostweed will do some checking, didn't know where to start looking.
After bringing a couple inside and putting them on a glass jar, and giving them a oak leaf, and taking more pics, I think I have them identified as spotted apatelodes cats. Thanks so much for getting me started, insects are truly facinating.
rose,
I usually hang out on the iris forum, but seeing these in my iris flower pots, I thought they were eating the iris, so wanted to know what they were.
I would have guessed it appears to be a tussock moth species...perhaps one of the many shown here. If you want a definate id use the Insect and spider ID forum on Daves.
http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=tussock+caterpillar&search=Search
Click on the pictures for more info.
Thank you Sheila_FW. Will check that out as well. I guess like irises, it's hard to get a positive id.
Yes! The more you look at the more they look alike!
pic of underside. can't find description of leg color for the tussock, more in a minute am looking up something.
