Please help identify caterpillar!

[Beetlesabout]

Any ideas?? This caterpillar was photogrphed in my Dad's garden a few miles north of Bristol. We've tried to identify it with no luck. Any help you could give would be much appreciated

[Dogghound]

Its a Knotgrass Acronicta rumicis it may look alittle different in some other photos as this individual is at about the middle of its larval stage.

[squishy]

thats the problem with IDing caterpillars, they are always growing and changing, so the photos in your books may look different, even though its the same species

[Beetlesabout]

Thank you so much! Hadn't considered changes due to growth and I am sure that tip will help with future identifcation too! And if not, I now know where to come!

[naturegirl]

All caterpillars (larva) shed their skin as they grow and these are called 'instars'.

Some have as many as five or more 'instars'.

The last 'instar' is when they become a chrysalis or pupa.

The last stage is when they become an adult or Imago.

This will normally happen sometime during the next year and is called 'emergence', when the adult 'emerges' from the pupal case.

Hope this helps.

Naturegirl

[Jason Green]

Why are the young stages called 'instars'?

Why is the adult called 'Imago'?

[naturegirl]

I don't know Jason, but they are!

Probably Latin.

Naturegirl

[Hedge Witch]

I believe instar is Latin for counterpart or equivalent. I think this makes sense

I think imago is Latin for image or likeness. Not sure why this is appropriate for the adult stage. Surely there's a word for adult.

Interesting question.

[Dogghound]

Instar in latin is a form or a figure etc. So its in its first form (1st instar) its in its second form (2nd instar) and so on.

as hedge witch says imago transfers dirsctly into english as image or likelyness. Which i believe is to mean its final image.

[Jason Green]

OK great, thanks all

Makes sense.