Caterpillars for Id, please

Lacerta · #1 (**permalink**) 01-10-2011, 01:57 PM

Hi

A couple of very recent photography trips have turned up a two caterpillars which I cannot id. Both were taken in the early evening.

The first appeared to be on Devil Bits Scabious whilst the second was just on a blade of grass, also the second caterpillar is around 15mm in length, therefore quite small.

I would be grateful for Id's on these two, neither show up clearly in my books and other references.

poschiavanus · #2 (**permalink**) 01-10-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lacerta

Hi

I would be grateful for Id's on these two, neither show up clearly in my books and other references.

This is a sawfly larva (not that it has more than 4 prolegs on the abdomen, and a single pair of eyes). There are two species in Britain associated with Devil's-bit Scabious and this looks to fit Abia sericea (Cimbicidae).

From the photo has seven annulets per segment, tarsal legs look to be 5 segmented, head dark grey and hairy, etc. These and the patterns of coloured spots and spines on the thoracic and abdominal segments fit the description in Lorenz and Kraus (pp. 261-2). I don't have a description for the other species of Abia and this may also use Succsia as a food plant.

HTH,

Posch

Lacerta · #3 (**permalink**) 01-10-2011, 03:35 PM

Many thanks Posch, you're absolutely right, I had just come across this on the internet and the description and images are spot on.

1 down, 1 to go!

poschiavanus · #4 (**permalink**) 01-10-2011, 03:45 PM

Yes, a couple of links:

NatureSpot (Leics inverts); NatureSpot.

A recent image on Flickr (which I think is A. candens, see comments on that image).

I've also checked with the Yahoo Sawfly group to see if they have images of candens, and the black dorsal & surpedal spots are indeed diagnostic.

Anders152 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 01:54 PM

I am in no way confident about this, but could the second be a gatekeeper?

Hedera · #6 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 02:37 PM

I think it's a Gatekeeper, too!

poschiavanus · #7 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 03:09 PM

I don't think its a Gatekeeper. It looks large and Gatekeeper cats will be small at this time of year. Also fully-grown Gatekeepers are somewhat hairier.

I've been presuming its a Noctuid, and fully grown. Usually Dogghound is pretty hot on those so I'd not pursued it further.

Anders152 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 04:32 PM

Hmmm, that was my issue too regarding size. I don't know how big they get when fully grown, though I believe the further south you are the greater instar they reach before hibernating...

Hope someone helps!

Anders152 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 04:36 PM

Just had a thought, I remember this time last year people posting pics of Bright Line Brown Eye caterpillars which could be a possibility? What do you think?

Lacerta · #10 (**permalink**) 04-10-2011, 04:53 PM

Well that's spooky, someone I know also suggested Gatekeeper, but I have been unable to verify this with other images, what I have seen does appear smaller or they are of an earlier instar!

Just looked up Bright Line Brown Eyed, but I am not sure that this is right either, there are some fine lines along the back of this caterpillar which don't appear on the images I have seen, I'll try and upload another image later that may help.