Found these yesterday on Yaupon...Asps???

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DATURA12 Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Oct 21, 2010

Yesterday while trimming some Yaupon I kept coming upon these larvae. My first thought is that they were Asps, so I did not touch them without gloves. Everytine we made a cut we found more a total of 12. There are three distinct colors of these which I will post. Looks either they are at three different stages of instars, not sure. I think I have seen these years ago and did a little research and found out they were butterfly larvae of some species but can't remember.

Any help and especially why the three colors? Thanks

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Oct 21, 2010

It's a good thing you didn't touch them. They are what you thought.

Megalopyge opercularis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asp_(caterpillar)

The colors can vary quite a bit.

BTW , you can reply to yourself and add more pictures. It helps to avoid confusion. ^_^

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DATURA12 Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Oct 21, 2010

Didn't know I could reply to myself thanks for telling me.

I handled the Asps with gloves just in case they were asps. I cannot believe there were 12 on one small hedge. I guess the most humane way to dispose of them is to put them in the freezer?

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