Green caterpillar for id please

jeremiah · #1 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 09:52 PM

Found these in my porch (on things I haven't planted yet).
They have eaten diascia, runner beans, strawberries, geraniums and another plant. Feels like pests-R-us here sometimes.

I couldn't make out whether they are the same as in the other green caterpillar thread.

Naturenutz · #2 (**permalink**) 02-06-2009, 10:23 PM

Hi , they look like one of the white butterfly caterpillars. But i would wait for confirmation as im probably wrong . I am sure they are a common species as ive seen it in the past quite often but cant remember what they are .

charlieb · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 04:33 PM

I would have a stab at Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica but don't quote me on that

jeremiah · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 07:47 PM

Hebrew Character - could be. There aren't any pictures of the caterpillars in the Gallery; google shows some pretty much like mine and some with a darkish stripe alongside the white stripe - mine definitely didn't have a darkish stripe.

They've gone now - I cut them off my plants with the twigs and leaves they were clinging to (they would not be pushed off) and chucked them out into the garden. They should be OK as they seem to eat pretty much anything.

Thanks!

charlieb · #5 (**permalink**) 03-06-2009, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremiah

google shows some pretty much like mine and some with a darkish stripe alongside the white stripe - mine definitely didn't have a darkish stripe

They are quite variable - have a look at Eggs, Larvae, Pupae and Adult Butterflies and Moths for some pictures. They are also a few other common species that look similar (and without better photos it'd be difficult to accurately ID them

)