help identifying caterpillar!

[shulamis at my-deja.com]

Well, thanks everyone for your help. It's definitely the
Syntomeida epilais, judging by the helpful pictures. Now, here's
something funny....I actually brought home with me an adult of the
species, which I had found on the hotel roof one morning. What a
coincedence, huh? :) And also, the caterpillar has started spinning the
cacoon right in the little envelope I caught it in.


Thanks again everyone!


-Shulamis


In article <39E425E7.1AA39929 at versailles.inra.fr>,
  Pierre Zagatti <zagatti at versailles.inra.fr> wrote:
> We have photos of larvae of both Syntomeida epilais and Agraulis
vanillae (link
> over the word 'larva') at :
>
>
http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Produits/PAPILLON/arctiid/texteng/s_epilai.h
tm
>
http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Produits/PAPILLON/papilion/nymphali/texteng/
a_vanill.htm
>
> Richard Worth wrote:
>
> > Anne,  Please disregard my last posting as your latest had not come
> > through when I sent mine.  Sorry.  Rich
> >
> > >Sorry; I zigged when I should have zagged. Gulf Frit it is.
> > >Anne Kilmer
> > >
> > >"DR. JAMES ADAMS" wrote:
> > >  >
> > >  > > Shulamis,
> > >  > >
> > >  > >  You saw the caterpillar of the Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis
vanillae.
> > >  > > Not only a nice looking caterpillar, but a nice looking
butterfly as
> > >  > > well.  And, as you surmised, quite common in Florida.
> > >  > >
> > >  >
> > >  >         As was suggested, it is possible that you saw the
caterpillar of
> > >  > Syntomeida epilais, but this is an orange caterpillar with
*tufts of
> > >  > hair*, not "spikes" as you suggest.  The Gulf Fritillary has
the
> > >  > "spikes".
> > >  >
> > >  >         James
> > >  >
> > >  > Dr. James K. Adams
> > >  > Dept. of Natural Science and Math
> > >  > Dalton State College
> > >  > 213 N. College Drive
> > >  > Dalton, GA  30720
> > >  > Phone: (706)272-4427; fax: (706)272-2533
> > >  > U of Michigan's President James Angell's
> > >  >   Secret of Success: "Grow antennae, not horns"
> >
> > Richard A. Worth
> > Oregon Department of Agriculture
> > Plant Division
> > rworth at oda.state.or.us
> > (503) 986-6461
>
> --
> Pierre ZAGATTI
> INRA Unite de Phytopharmacie et Mediateurs Chimiques
> 78026 Versailles Cedex
> FRANCE
> Tel: (33) 1 30 83 31 18
> e-mail zagatti at versailles.inra.fr
> http://www.jouy.inra.fr/papillon/
> http://www.jouy.inra.fr/papillon/arct_guy/arct_guy.htm
>
>


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