I first saw this kind of caterpillar in late April, and I found three in my son's fort today. I have tried www.butterfliesandmoths.org, but have not been able to find it. Do any of you experts out there know what this is?
Please help ID this cat
Here is a closer picture - I apologize for the fuzziness.
I also tried www.discoverlife.org but could not find it there either.
Whatever it is, it sure is cute with those polka dots at the rear end.
I know, right? I tried last spring to figure out what they are to no avail, and I had kind of given up when I didn't see anymore. Finding the three today has really piqued my interest again.
I found this one that looks close; but not exactly
http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars
http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars
Sorry it didn't copy it is Clostera inclusa, in the striped body choices.
O.k. I think this is it.
http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Clostera+inclusa&guide=Caterpillars
This message was edited Oct 31, 2009 4:31 PM
When I clicked the link, it took me to the page where you select the features.
The coloring looks similar, but he is too hairy. I tried to find the life cycle of clostera inclusa to see if there are different instars (new word for me today!) but didn't find anything and now it's time to get ready to trick or treat lol. Thanks for looking!
I believe I found your catterpilar, what do you think? it is a moth, Turbulent phosphila, it feeds on Greenbriar.
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/116709890
Here is another link;
http://bugguide.net/node/view/27876
This message was edited Nov 7, 2009 4:05 PM
Sure looks like the last links.
Hi Sheila, actually I found it with Frank's help, it sure is a cute and unusual one, I hope she sees it soon.
That is it exactly!! Josephine, you rock. Thank you. My son Hunter is keeping some in his bug barn, and he took a sampling of leaves from the area where he found more of the cats to see what they would eat and the only thing they ate was the greenbriar, so that is what we have been feeding them.
That is excellent!! they are adorable cats.
Josephine.
Yes, they are quite cute. I have been trying to find more info on them but it is a bit scarce. From what I can tell, moths in this family either pupate above ground or below ground, but I haven't yet found which this one does. I don't want to keep them in if they need to be able to go under ground. I will keep looking and if I cannot find the answer we will put them back where we found them.