Friend gave this critter to me. I don't know what it is or what it eats. It was found on a Hibiscus bush. I found it on a bug website but do not know how to navigate that site. Please help.
Thanks
Leslie
This message was edited Aug 15, 2007 7:57 AM
Leslie, I believe it's an Armyworm, are you going to try and raise it?
Is this where you found him?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1648/
No actually I found him on another Bug Website. But once they could not identify the worm and I could not navigate around to find out if it made a butterfly or not. Sorry I am not sure which site it was. So if it is an army work does it turn into anything? There sure was not much about it on BugFiles was there? Any help is so appreciated. And thanks for identifying. I have heard of army worms but don't know a thing about them.
Leslie
If that is an army worm from what I have been reading people just spend their time trying to kill them. Seems they eat their grass. Don't know what to do here.
Leslie
Leslie, they are often a pest of crops, that's why they are not wanted by farmers. I have found them and moved them over to a wooded park near my house.
A lot of butterfly cats are pests to many people, even the cats that turn into beautiful bfs that we love. Just do what you think is right with him. Personally, I don't think they need to be killed, that's MHO.
Does that help?
Oh Fly Girl. I would never kill the poor little thing. I just was thinking I may leave him here at work in the grass. I mean I don't mind raising him I just don't know how, feed him grass? Do they act like BF's? Or do you think it safe just to leave him in the grass here? I wondered if you felt that they were pretty safe in the wooded area where you usually take them? I don't want him to get eaten just because he does not turn into a beautiful BF. Would love your opinion as to whether you think leaving him here would be okay for him.
Thanks so much. I did finally look up and found what the moth looks like. Funny I have never seen an army worm before and they seem so common. Maybe I just was not looking, huh?
Thanks for all your help Flygirl.
Leslie
I didn't raise mine, I had so many others at the time, maybe next time I'll try it. I see those Miller moths all the time.
I would think the lawn mower might find him but it looks like he's escaped so far.
When I put him in the wooded area, I thought he would be somewhat safe because of his markings, he blends in pretty well.
I know what you mean about not caring about the cats that aren't pretty bfs or moths, I hate to be that way too, I guess they all have a purpose.
Good luck with the decision Leslie, it's a tough one.
Rox
Well Rox.
I think I will give it a try. I have an extra cage right now so I may just put the stinker in there and see what happens. Just one more question though on what he eats. Do I just put different kinds of grass in there? Or anything I can find? Right now he is in a bowl with grass and other stuff but I cannot tell he isreally eating. If they eat crops maybe some tomato leaves or something like that?
Leslie
Here is a site that might help you, lost. : )
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1019/ANR-1019.pdf
Are we sure it's an armyworm? I couldn't tell when I compared your photo to the one on the link above.
~Lucy
Thanks Blue. That is a big help. After reading it looks like the guys have to go back in the ground to pupate or whatever and then become a moth. I guess that answers my question. I don't think raising him in a cage would work. Glad you came along and helped me out with that decision. I hate to do it but I cannot provide what it needs in a cage. So I guess I will leave it here at work as there is an abundance of Bermuda grass.
Thanks for everyone's help on this one. I really appreciate it.
Leslie
I am certainly not sure lucy but I was thinking it looked a lot like the one in BugFiles. Do you have any idea what it might be?
Leslie
The one Lucy linked is a different species, the one from BugFiles is a S. ornithogalli. I think it looks more like the one in BugFiles.
Leslie, does it have a yellowish 'Y' on its head? Some of the armyworms do, and then the tell-tale black crescents on their back.
This worm is always being questioned for an Id on the Bug Id forum, it would be nice if we knew exactly what it was.
I think it's great that you want to raise it. If it's not eating it may just be resting. Or, it may have been getting ready to pupate.
Him pupating would be like many moths, he probably wraps himself in leaf litter and burrows down a littel in the soil. You could put a little container with some soil and leaves and see what he does. Use potting soil so you don't get ants or something that could kill him.
I am sorry. Looking at him now I do not see a yellow Y. He seems to be fairly young. He is about an inch long. Pretty healthy looking. Just see the black crescents but no Y. Sorry. What to do now? I guess I could try the potting soil thing. So I would need leaves and grass for the guy? Sorry I just don't want to mess this up.
Leslie
I don't have any idea what he is. : )
If all else fails, put him back on a hibiscus.
That's all I know to do.
~Lucy
Leslie, was he eating the hibiscus? You could just feed him those leaves. I don't know if they all have the 'Y, there's probably a lot of kinds of armyworms.
I'm currently raising a Saddleback moth, he's already pupated. And....the way I found him was he stung me....boy, did that hurt! He'll become a plain brown moth.
If you decide to keep him just look him up and see what he eats and put a little of everything until you see him eating something. I think they eat on a lot of different plants, crops too...do you have any soybeans, corn......lol
Sounds like a pretty good idea Lucy. Luckily I have two of those at home.
Thanks guys.
Flygirl I don't know if he was eating the hibiscus or not. The girl at work just said her husband found him on a friend's hibiscus and knew I was doing the cat thing so thought I might want it. Funny how we get suckered into stuff like that. And no, I don't have any corn or farming plants, I barely have any plants at all worth eating. LOL.
Leslie
This message was edited Aug 15, 2007 11:32 AM
Hi Leslie, I found this guy who may be your cat, it looks similar, not the right host plant though.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/yellowwingmoth2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/mothyellunder.htm&h=272&w=300&sz=13&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=ODGiWXnP2O84SM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dyellow%2Bunderwing%2Bcaterpillar%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DDNUS,DNUS:2006-36,DNUS:en
That could be him flygirl. They both look so similar but he looked just like the other one also. Very confusing on this one.
Leslie
lostintexas, I believe you have the same caterpillar as what I've posted on DG bug files.
fly_girl had the correct link above. http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1648/
My two experiences with the bug (may or may not have been the exact same bug, as the younger worms seemed more green, while the more larger older worms seemed more brown. Or it could have been close, but different species). In any case the older, browner worms were eating my Zinnia flowers. The younger greener worms were eating lots of things...... I would mostly find them on my young agasatche plants as I inspected them each morning. As I knew what they were, (moths) and I didn't need or want them, I'd flick them off as I would rather have a healthy plant, than another healthy crop of moths. Keep them if you like, but I didn't. In fact, my friendly neighborhood mocking bird found the larger one that I had taken the picture of. And I'd also like to keep him around as well. Circle of life kinda thingy. ha. happy summer.
Thanks for the info pford. I left the little guy at my work place. He has a whole yard to eat up there if he wants.
I do hope he makes it though.
Leslie
