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22/10/2007




my photo

CATERPILLAR

Are there any caterpillar experts out there, does anyone know what this is? I think I have read that the hairy variety of caterpillar are moths? I discovered it clambering over my alchemilla mollis when I was having a garden tidy.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not very good at this, they are often moths.

Gigibird said...

I had an uncle who was a butterfly collector....but sadly he's long gone - have you Googled caterpillars?

Gigibird said...

I think they could be Brown-tailed Moth caterpillars

Joanna said...

I have had a couple of harry catapiliers around. They are much nicer than cabbage whites as they don't seem to do as much damage

shadows and clouds said...

hello there, i hopped on over here from bird ahoy. this caterpillar looks like a processionary, which we have over here in italy. maybe a pine processionary or an oak one? they often, though not always, travel in a long convoy all together. and make cobweb looking nests in trees. be careful with them though, they tell me that either the larvae or the hairs (i'm not sure, maybe both) are not to be handled, as they can cause extreme skin irritation.

i never saw them in the uk though! wow!

Anonymous said...

This looks like a Gyspy Moth caterpillar. They do significant damage to oak trees and have been known to infest acres of forests. Here on Cape Cod we consider them a menace as they can defoliate acres. Google it and check it out.

Anonymous said...

Louise, I'm sorry I may be wrong about this being a gypsy moth caterpillar. I'm so used to seeing them I panicked. But it really may be some other kind of moth. I'm so very happy that you're back. I don't even know you but I just love your blog and that's enough for me to Love you*