My new friend, Peyton, knocked on our front door awhile ago. I was on the phone and couldn't visit long. But right away, he spotted a caterpillar on the outside brick wall by the door. Later, when I stepped outside and bug hunted with him, Peyton returned to our front porch to fetch the caterpillar. After he coralled it into a plastic container and I got a closer look, I found the specimen to be very, very interesting.
So I shot it.
With a camera, that is.
Sorry. Couldn't resist.
Anyway, we're in the process of identifying it with the help of the friendly folks at Bugguide.net. I've also checked my field guide and am guessing it's in the looper family of moths (Geometriade). Check back for an update.
Take a look at its back end!(Abdominal prolegs, according to Caterpillars of Eastern North America)
UPDATE May 24, 2010–Replies posted to my photo on Bugguide.net:
Looks like at least two pair of abdominal prolegs, so maybe Zale or Catocala or something nearby. … john and jane balaban, 23 May, 2010 - 9:22pm
Here's another very similar, if not the same, kind of caterpillar I posted a while ago for an ID. Then Matt Edmonds recently posted this one. Now you. I'm looking forward to seeing if it can be IDed. Maybe with enough puzzle pieces someone can. For example: Matt's and my picture are from FL, yours from TX. Also I found it curious they have all been found away from plants. Matt's on the side of the house on some siding, yours on a brick wall, mine on a cement counter top (which it blended with rather well I may add). I think it may be some kind of Underwing. And as you can see others have suggested Catocala as well. But anyway I love a good mystery can't wait to see how this one turns out. … Livan, 24 May, 2010 - 7:55pm
JANUARY 3, 2012 – UPDATE
This caterpillar was re-IDed today as a live oak metria (Metria amella) moth larva. Those folks at Bugguide.net never give up!
UPDATE May 24, 2010–Replies posted to my photo on Bugguide.net:
Looks like at least two pair of abdominal prolegs, so maybe Zale or Catocala or something nearby. … john and jane balaban, 23 May, 2010 - 9:22pm
Here's another very similar, if not the same, kind of caterpillar I posted a while ago for an ID. Then Matt Edmonds recently posted this one. Now you. I'm looking forward to seeing if it can be IDed. Maybe with enough puzzle pieces someone can. For example: Matt's and my picture are from FL, yours from TX. Also I found it curious they have all been found away from plants. Matt's on the side of the house on some siding, yours on a brick wall, mine on a cement counter top (which it blended with rather well I may add). I think it may be some kind of Underwing. And as you can see others have suggested Catocala as well. But anyway I love a good mystery can't wait to see how this one turns out. … Livan, 24 May, 2010 - 7:55pm
JANUARY 3, 2012 – UPDATE
This caterpillar was re-IDed today as a live oak metria (Metria amella) moth larva. Those folks at Bugguide.net never give up!
2 comments:
Thank you for your post. You helped me ID my own live oak metria! From Wimberly, TX: http://i.imgur.com/JRsiwE6.jpg
Hey that's cool! Glad to be of service. :-)
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