Poorly Caterpillar, Need ID

[Sienna]

Hello All

I found this caterpillar in a puddle and thought it had drowned but after a fair while in a warm part of the house it has begun to show some signs of life. It is still very weak and poorly and I would like to give it some of its natural food to help it to perk up a bit but I have no idea what it is and hence no idea what it eats.....









Any ideas?

Sienna

P.S. I apologise for the black bit of vegetation stuck to part of his back but it does not want to budge

[charlieb]

Something like a Square-spot Rustic - they feed "mainly on grasses, but also on other low-growing plants" (Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa - UKMoths)

[Jason Green]

Hi Sienna,

Well done for rescuing it! The lethargy could also be attributed to the cold and it likely being in a pre-pupal stage of it's life-cycle. I assume it'll over-winter now before pupating and emerging as the adult next year, so will need to be returned outside when it seems strong enough. In fact it may already have stopped eating.

Take care,

Jason

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

likely being in a pre-pupal stage of it's life-cycle. I assume it'll over-winter now before pupating

Or not :

The nocturnal caterpillars feed during the winter

[Jason Green]

...

[Sienna]

Hello,

Thanks for the ID. It’s nice to see what he will (hopefully) eventually turn into.

I didn’t think he was going to make it at all because he was completely out of it for a couple of hours or so. I left him in a container overnight with a selection of greenery which considering I now know he is nocturnal probably made him quite happy

I let him go early this morning in a shady area of the garden near where I found him and came back later on to see that he was nowhere in sight.

Are many caterpillars winter feeders?

Thanks again,

Sienna