Cool bug
Roma and I found this cool caterpillar crawling across our patio the other day. When I touched it its reaction was to immediately curl up in a ball. After a few minutes it uncurled and continued on to wherever it was headed. Click on the photos to see them full size. I'd love to know what it will turn into.
4 comments:
COOOOOOOOL! Yes! I like the shade of yellow. Guess you'll never know what it will turn out to be.
Beautiful! I've never seen one like that.
According to my entomologist friend, it is a larva of an Elm sawfly (Cimbex americana).
From Tyler:
It feeds on a wide range of host plants including elm, most willows, white birch, trembling aspen, Manitoba maple and many others. It is not considered economically significant but does cause minor damage to leaves and shoots. Although they have been around all season, they become most noticeable in this bright yellow prepuae stage (shown in the photo) in Aug/Sept as they drop from the trees to prepare to overwinter in the duff. They are reported to reach 55mm in length although the largest one I have ever seen was about 45mm. The adults are rather heavy-bodied wasps that have a body length of about 25mm and a wingspan of about 40mm. Adult males have red/brown to purple/black abdomens, whereas females are all black with yellow spots on the sides. Eggs are laid in small pockets chewed into the underside of leaves.
NEAT!
In the second picture the larva looks like it's glowing from the underside.
Post a Comment