Caterpillar i.d. please

[ollyk]

Hi folks found this caterpillar rolled up on the ground where I was gardening today. Can't find in my Collins book so could do with help id'ing the fella.



Plant stuffs are Virginia Creeper, Bindweed and couple of other bushes (Deadly Nightshade?)




I am also thinking of keeping (my daughter has never witnessed life cycle) although to decide need to know what requirements both in food and pupae stage.

Thanks

Olly.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by ollyk

Hi folks found this caterpillar rolled up on the ground where I was gardening today. Can't find in my Collins book so could do with help id'ing the fella.



Plant stuffs are Virginia Creeper, Bindweed and couple of other bushes (Deadly Nightshade?)




I am also thinking of keeping (my daughter has never witnessed life cycle) although to decide need to know what requirements both in food and pupae stage.

Thanks

Olly.

Can't help with the caterpillar, but other than the Virginia Creeper I can see Euonymus fortunei "Silver Gaiety" or similar cultivar + Tutsan (with fruits), Hypericum androsaemum. No Deadly Nightshade!

[jaguarondi]

I think I recognise this caterpillar - its tomato moth. Ot at least that's what is callled in agricultural circles. I think lepidopterists know it as bright line brown eye or something like that. It's common.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by jaguarondi

I think I recognise this caterpillar - its tomato moth. Ot at least that's what is callled in agricultural circles. I think lepidopterists know it as bright line brown eye or something like that. It's common.

Brown-line Bright-eye is the moth you mean + that did cross my mind when I saw the image, but I wasn't sure!

[ollyk]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Can't help with the caterpillar, but other than the Virginia Creeper I can see Euonymus fortunei "Silver Gaiety" or similar cultivar + Tutsan (with fruits), Hypericum androsaemum. No Deadly Nightshade!

Thanks Aeshna5, my plant recognition isn't too hot I'm afraid and being in rented property I am not sure of some of the species that were here before us but now I know a bit more

[ollyk]

looks like it could be Bright-line Brown-eye then, Thanks. I guess it was feeding on the Bindweed, as descriptions suggest this caterpillar is polyphagous (another thing I have learn't today ) although I guess I can't rule out the other plants.
He is currently sharing a cage with one of my stick insects and has a nice selection of food when he decides to start eating.

Funny how I have never caught this particular species in my moth trap though!

[jaguarondi]

Hi Aeshna, Olly I wondered if I was getting confused so did a search in Google and "bright line brown eye" is the species I was thinking about - Lacanobia oleracea. This page has a few pictures -http://http://www.meades.org/photos_...en_photos.html

It feeds on tomatoes and so probably feeds on deadly nightshade - aren't they both Solanaceae? It also feeds in sugar beet (Chenpodiaceae).