Need to ID a fat green caterpillar for kid's project!

Kathleen Moon kmoon at ucla.edu
Fri Sep 17 03:25:41 EDT 1999


jaynine wrote:
> 
> I've been trying to see which caterpillar this is to ID for my kid's
> project, but I can't find caterpillar pics; only mature moths and
> butterflies! It's fat and light-green, with short hairs spaced at long
> intervals along its "accordion"-shaped figure. It has a smallish brown
> head and brown 'feet' in front, the back legs being mostly green.It has
> pale, very thin vertical stripes widely spaced along its body, with a
> very small brown spot within each stripe.
> 
> I'm assuming this is a Lepidoptera larva, but, in any case, I would
> appreciate it if anyone can tell me what it is. (It was found crossing
> the street, so habitat is not a clue!)

1/ as with anything one cannot identify with certainty, don't touch it
until you know what it is, or at least you know for sure that the haurs
do not cointain some toxin or other.

2/ You give us some nice details, but, although someone may have enough
to give you a good solid id on it, I certainly would not.  Why?  You
fail to mention where you found it (meaning what part of the country). 
This can make a huge difference.

3/ (most important!!!) Above all, do NOT let this experience, no matter
how negative it might end up, scare you out of being interested in
Nature -- and don't give up!  It is a fascinating field in which to
exercize one's brain cells.

Good luck.

Pierre A Plauzoles
sphinxangelorum at bigfoot.com

[message relayed by Kathleen Moon]


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