caterpillar identification please -Reply

[Nick Greatorex-Davies]

Carla
Sounds like they could be caterpillars of the Small Eggar Moth,
(Eriogaster lanestris, family Lasiocampidae), though your description
does not quite match. Ths Small Eggar is a much decreasd species in the
UK, but can still be found on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and Hawthorn
(Crataegus monogyna) hedges out in the open countryside in lowland
Britain, they certainly occur surprisingly frequently here in
Cambridgeshire.

Regards

Nick Greatorex-Davies
ITE Monks Wood

>>> "leney" <leney at globalnet.co.uk> 20/June/1998 11:07pm >>>
Caterpillars sooty black, 9 fine vertical yellow lines on each side, long,
very fine dorsal hairs, pale brown. Rear 4 pairs legs orange, front 3
pairs
black.  Food, hawthorn.  Colony living in silk tent.  Active during day.
Mid Norfolk. England.  Any ideas?    Carla.