Hi everyone who has asked about caterpillars - what kind, etc. Also, very small caterpillars are often earlier instars and don't look too much like the final instar, so can be very difficult to ID - the example of the Black Swallowtail caterpillars in the first row of photos of this gallery is a good example of how one species can appear quite different at each molt. = answer for caterpillar observer = I'm not sure what you're caterpillar would be. In my own region (eastern Ontario) some areas seem to have a bumper crop of them this year. Some years, there will be greater outbreaks than others, and these caterpillars will seem more conspicuous. Apart from damage to leaves, they will generally disappear again on their own and, in most cases, the plants recover and grow some new leaves. They don't bite, but their hair is irritating- can cause itchiness and if one should be close enough to breathe the broken off hair particles, it can cause respiratory irritation - which, i've heard, can affect some people quite a bit. The tents are not always seen as the caterpillars tend to start wandering off in all directions once they get to be fairly large. Just don't leave the container sitting in the sun or some place too warm.ĭiana's caterpillars sound like Eastern Tent Caterpillars to me. I think most are fine for at least a couple of days. As for keeping them to raise, if you do so and have to be gone overnight, it should be fine so long as you put in some fresh leaves before you go away. I can't tell you which species, but some do. Some of the caterpillars with "hairs" can have those break away and will cause respiratory reactions. Better to just let them move around on their own. Most are fairly fragile and can be easily hurt or damaged if they are dropped, etc. My recommendation regarding caterpillars is to not handle them for your own protection and theirs as well. If you go to this link on another photographer's gallery here on Pbase, you'll see a bunch of comments that people have left below. Pyrrharctia isabella - Isabella Tiger MothĬaterpillar on raspberry leaf - not ID'd yetĪ lot of people report bad skin rash reactions from contact with American Dagger moth caterpillars. Lophocampa caryae - Hickory Tussock Moth caterpilar Northern Pine Sphinx - Lapara bombycoides One of the instars of the Black Tiger Swallowtail butterflly eating Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum'īlack Swallowtail caterpillar- Papilio polyxenes - sideīlack Swallowtail caterpillar- Papilio polyxenes - topįall cankerworm (?) - Alsophila pometaria (?) Milkweed Tussock caterpillars - defensive thrashing Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillars - Euchaetias egle Halysidota tessellaris - Banded Tussock Moth caterpillar Milkweed tussock caterpillars - early instars Even with photos, it's very often impossible. By the way, in most cases, it's pretty much impossible to identify any insect or spider from a written description. What I suggest is that you work on your own IDs, using my photos and also visiting websites such as. Also, I just moved into an old house that is in need of major restoration, so have little time to spend online trying to figure out IDs for other people's sightings. There is only one of me and I'm busy photographing insects and working on identifications for my own sightings each day. PLEASE NOTE: I do try to answer occasional questions on my insect photo galleries, but please understand that, in summer especially, I receive dozens of questions posted on my galleries asking me to identify caterpillars, wasps, butterflies, spiders, moths, etc. If you're interested in seeing my most recent photos, writing or other work, please visit my nature blog, Burning Silo. The following is a collection of a few of the caterpillars that I've photographed over the past few years.
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