Larvae victim ID please

[stevepl]

Hello all,

Can anyone identify the larvae, which I suspect is a moth, being predated on by this Forest Bug.

Thanks,

Steve

[slimrbp]

Hi,

Sorry can't help with the ID but thought I would link to the thumbnail for other users.



Nice find.

[Bruce Williams]

Interesting shot Steve - thanks for posting.

Bruce

[stevepl]

Thanks Richard and Bruce. It's vaguely familiar but I can't just place it ?

Steve :-)

[Kayleigh]

It looks like a shield bug and some sort of hawk moth caterpillar..

[stevepl]

Thanks Kayleigh, yes it's a Forest Bug, the only shield bug that is semi predatory I believe. I think it's a Hawk moth larvae too, the black spots on the tail end ring a bell but I haven't foundi in my books or on the net.

Steve :-)

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by stevepl

Thanks Kayleigh, yes it's a Forest Bug, the only shield bug that is semi predatory I believe. I think it's a Hawk moth larvae too, the black spots on the tail end ring a bell but I haven't foundi in my books or on the net.

Steve :-)

Sorry I cant give any more info but someone will be long soon more knowledgeable..
Its an amazing find I didn't know some shield bugs were predatory semi or otherwise..

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by stevepl

Thanks Kayleigh, yes it's a Forest Bug, the only shield bug that is semi predatory I believe. I think it's a Hawk moth larvae too, the black spots on the tail end ring a bell but I haven't foundi in my books or on the net.

Steve :-)

There are other predatory shieldbugs including Picromerus bidens + Zicrona caerulea to name 2 others.

[Matt Smith]

Looks to me like a Noctuid larva to me (of which there are many). Certainly not a hawk moth larva, no horn on the tail.

[Bobbobthebob]

No idea on the caterpillar I'm afraid but the shield bug is almost definitely Picromerus bidens. The spiked pronotum is diagnostic I believe. The Forest Bug also looks more elongate than that and from what I've seen doesn't have such red antennae either.