Caterpillar ID. Dun-bar Moth?

[Harold Smith]

When picking some tomatoes in my greenhouse this morning I came across one that had been badly chewed up and inside was a caterpillar.



I have looked in my field guide for Caterpillars and the nearest I can get to identifying it is the Dun-bar Moth (Cosmia trapezina). The only problem is that my guide says that the caterpillar stage should have finished by the end of June with the adult normally emerging in July. Is this a late developer or is it some other moth caterpillar.

Can anyone help please?

Harold.

[charlieb]

It's a Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea

[Harold Smith]

Thanks Charlieb.

Have now found it in my field guide. I was interested to note that the caterpillar has a number of colour variations which could be confusing if the variations are not represented in the guide. Apparently it is a pest of greenhouse tomatoes so I'll have to make sure to give my greenhouse a good clean for next year's crop.

Thanks,

Harold.