Unidentified Caterpillar

[Meles meles]

Hi all,

Found this caterpillar by pure chance as i was walking through some woodland yesturday.

At first it was calmly srolling across the floor, Then as a self protective method it froze like a straight stick clinging on to a twig using its front three feet. On closer inspection it measured just under 6 cms long in its frozen state but then later as it moved on it stretched to almost 7.5 cms. The only other obvious features to my learning eyes was that the only noticable hairs was on its rear, and the underside of its rear was white.

Any ideas???



Many thanks

Meles meles

[gecko]

It looks like a peppered moth caterpillar, but I know barely any caterpillars so don't bet on it! Peppered moth caterpillars are quite variable so are sometimes all green, sometimes have these brown inter-segment bits.

[gecko]

So can anyone confirm or disprove my frankly uneducated (in the ways of moths & their caterpillars!) guess about the species here?

[Dogghound]

yeh it looks very much like a peppered moth caterpillar, although they do vary a little, but i think it would be safe to say this is the peppered moth Biston betularia

[Meles meles]

Hi there,

Many thanks

I think i can agree although most pictures i have found the Larva looks to be different,
I have just googled the latin name and found one thats even the same colour!!

Biston betularia cognataria
Google Image Result for http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/zeeb/butterflies/figs/moth_larvae/Geometridae/Ennominae/B_betularia-t-l2.jpg

again many thanks

Meles meles