Black, yellow and hairy caterpillar for ID

[tinyme77]

Hi,
There were several of these munching on a weed and climbing around the greenhouse today. The picture is blurry i'm afraid. It is mainly black with a yellow stripe down each side and another along the top.
Thanks for any help.

[Dogghound]

Callimorpha dominula, where in the UK are you? do you live near any rivers or marshes? wet places, ponds etc?

[tinyme77]

I live in West Reading. The Thames is about a mile away so we're not very close to water. I'll have a look at images of the one that you suggested. Thanks

[tinyme77]

That's definitely it. Thank you

[Anders152]

That's so funny, I've been trying to identify the same caterpillar but dismissed the scarlet tiger because it likes wet places. I'm west of Reading too (Tilehurst), and am a fair way from water. Not sure what it was eating as I found it on a brick wall. How odd...

[Squeezeeface]

hello , these little darlings are all over my garden !! there are hundreds , they have never appeared before , ive been in the same home for 10 years , this is the first year they have appeared , i live a few miles from the south coast , UK. ... Is there a kind way of moving them on ? ? thank you in advance for any advice . xx

[Anders152]

I would say you'd have to pick them all up and move them to somewhere where their foodplant grows - time consuming! I would leave them, mainly because I love moths but also because ruby tigers are stunning! Also, it won't be long before they pupate anyway. What are they eating in your garden, are they destroying everything?

[Squeezeeface]

Hi Anders , Thank you for your advice , they have eaten EVERYTHING ! they seem to favour my bay tree mostly. I'm getting used to them now, and im looking forward to the moths now... i guess you just have to leave nature to do its thing , i must remember not to spend a fortune on bedding plants next year, my garden was/is just a pretty catarpillar restaurant, table for 500? hee hee. Thank you for your help.xx

[Anders152]

That must be so hard watching them destroy everything! One thing you could do when they're all adults is be vigilant for eggs, or I think you can get a fine mesh you can put around your plants to stop the adults laying any eggs. It might not look great though! But better than holey plants maybe?! Good luck!

[tinyme77]

Luckily for me there were only a few in the greenhouse which were targeting a weed and nothing else. Hopefully i'll get to see the moths soon.
Hope that they don't ruin your plants.