Is this a swallowtailed moth caterpillar?

sarahwhite1982 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 05:06 PM

Hey,

Found this diddy stick-like looper on a silver birch in the back garden. From my insect book I think it might be a swallowtailed moth caterpillar because it has quite a flat head. Any ideas?!

Thanks in advance! Sarah

dmclean2 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 05:36 PM

Hi Sarah,
I agree with you on the swallowtailed moth caterpillar I have just been on this site Swallow-tailed Moth - Butterflies and Moths of Northern Ireland and it certainly looks like it,
Duncan

Hedge Witch · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 05:40 PM

It looks just like a twig. The swallow tailed moth caterpillar on the UK moths web site looks amazingly like a twig- I cannot make head-nor-tail of it

dmclean2 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 05:45 PM

Thats why I tried the moths of N Ireland site
Duncan

Geoff F · #5 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 06:58 PM

Not certain about this one. Could it be a Waved Umber caterpillar?

My book says ' Twig like, normally greyish brown but sometimes heavily dusted with green. Usually a number of dark pink or black blotches on the back'. That description seems to fit your image.

Thought this was a Swallowtailed moth caterpillar but I haven't been able to get independant confirmation yet. 'Brown or dirty green with a very flat head'.

Anybody else got any ideas?

sarahwhite1982 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 07:33 PM

Hmmm this is a tricky one

It seems to have the flat head of the swallowtailed but does also have tiny dark spots along its back with a paler dot on either side of these. And the photos don't really do it justice but it is a brownish green colour. I'm looking at Chinery's "Complete British Insects" and both photos just look like twigs!

I actually found 2 of these caterpillars at the same time and the other one, although slightly larger, has much less distinctive spots on its back.

The mystery continues...!

Sarah

UB4 gardener · #7 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 07:55 PM

Hi Sarah, . I had a quick look at Eggs, Larvae, Pupae and Adult Butterflies and Moths and if you take a look at the last caterpillar pic under Common white wave. apart from the colour what do you think?

Chris

sarahwhite1982 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 08:06 PM

Arghh, another possibility! The caterpillars I have are about 2cm long and the pictures for that size are quite green, whereas the caterpillars I have are distinctively brownish. But I agree the later markings look similar. Plus the following link says the larvae feed on birch - which is where I found them....

UKMoths - Common White Wave Cabera pusaria

Unfortunately the common white wave isn't in my book but I will keep researching! Thanks for the help!

Sarah