CLOSED: Need ID for Brown Caterpillar Found Frozen in Michigan

dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Dec 11, 2008

Anyone have any guesses as to what this is and what it might eat?

A friend of mine found it frozen in the snow and was compelled to bring it inside and thaw it out. Apparently it's still kicking but he doesn't know what to feed it.

Post #5881602

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Dec 11, 2008

This caterpillar is in the family Noctuidae, it might be the larva of the large yellow underwing, Noctua pronuba - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Large_Yellow_Underwing_Caterpillar.jpg
According to the Caterpillars of Eastern North America, it is a general feeder on grasses and low-growing forbs, and often is active during the winter when temperatures permit.

Post #5882618

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Dec 11, 2008

suunto, another wikipedia article says that this is a cutworm. Is that true?

Thanks once again for your help. The guy who found it (and the rest of us) are amazed that it can survive freezing and thawing. Here are the rest of his questions, if you'd like to chime in on any of them:

1) what kind is it? (already answered)
2) what kind of lifecycle leads to him sitting on top of the snow in December? (and I saw one other one on the sidewalk yesterday, so it is some kind of regular behavior)
3) how does something as water-filled and juicy as a caterpillar survive being frozen solid? How does not not break every single cell wall?

Post #5882650

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Dec 12, 2008

There are several species in the family Noctuidae whose larvae collectively are known as 'cutworms,' and this larva certainly bears a superficial resemblance to some of them. If you google 'cutworm' or 'cutworms' you should see some similarities.
Also, there are quite a few caterpillars that do not enter true hibernation during winter, but retain the ability to become active and even feed during warm spells. They survive by a combination of finding shelter with a favorable microclimate and by selective dehydration, whereby ice forming in their 'blood' (hemolymph) creates concentrated fluid pockets that dehydrate cells and restrict ice formation to the extracellular spaces. Additionally, some insects are even able to manufacture their own antifreeze, usually in the form of ethylene glycol .

Post #5883109

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Dec 12, 2008

Very interesting!

Post #5884113

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