Yellow caterpillar I.D. needed

Scottyken · #1 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 02:58 PM

Hi
My daughter found a yellow caterpillar with a black stripe down the back, after searching online I found an image of it and it said it was a Canadian Yellow caterpillar.
However I cannot find any other information about it.
There is a picture of the same caterpillar here
Can anyone shed any light on this caterpillar as she wants to keep it and we have no idea what plants it eats.
She found it in her school car park and we live in Scotland.
Thanks for any help.
Ken

earthdragon64 · #2 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 03:09 PM

Hi Ken, welcome to WAB.

Do have a photo of the actual caterpillar that you can post here? I'd be surprised if it was a Canadian Yellow, as they aren't native, but a photo of the actual one you have would help confirm the ID.

Some Sawfly larvae are also very similar to Butterfly/Moth larvae, and I've seen a Sawfly larva that looks very similar to the one in the link you posted, bright yellow with a black stripe.

Regards, Audrey.

Scottyken · #3 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 03:43 PM

Got a couple of images for you.

They are not very clear I'm afraid.

Scottyken · #4 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 03:51 PM

Looking at it again and doing another search of G it does look like a sawfly larva
Now to find out what they eat.

earthdragon64 · #5 (**permalink**) 13-10-2011, 04:19 PM

I think that's Cimbex femoratus, a Birch Sawfly in which case it will probably eat Birch leaves. I took a photo of one that looks really similar a couple of years ago and the suggested ID was Birch Sawfly.

This is what it should grow into, this was a Birch Sawfly I took photos of in Culbin Forest near Nairn.

Regards, Audrey.