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Saddleback Caterpillar Moth larvae

Acharia stimulea

Published on Project Noah
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40.8401, -75.6355

Field Notes

Description:

Family: Limacodidae (Slug Moths). Brightly colored caterpillar with venomous with sharp spines. Coloring: Brown and green (saddle). Paint-like fake eyes. Length: 12.7 mm (Possibly 3rd instar). Feeds on a wide variety of plants including Winged Burning Bush leaves (shown), but also spicebush, apple, blueberry, elm, maple, oak.

Habitat:

Meadows, gardens, yards.

Notes:

Found a total of 50 this summer. Do not handle. Sharp and painful spines. caterpillar in upper left molted into next instar.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (11)
AshleyT
So cool Carol, you always find the neatest invertebrates!
lhankin
Thank you! Your photo will be highlighted on Thursday, October 9. Afterwards, you’ll be able to see your photo for about a month in the Pic of the Day Collection (www.greatnatureproject.org/collections/12). Thanks again for contributing to The Great Nature Project!
lhankin
Congratulations! We would like to highlight this photo as National Geographic’s Great Nature Project Pic of the Day! It will be featured in the lower left corner on The Great Nature Project website (www.greatnatureproject.org), as well as on NG Education Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ accounts. We will attribute this photo to you by using your username, Carol Snow Milne. Once we hear back from you (either here or via email to [email protected]), we’ll let you know which date we’ll highlight your photo. Thank you for sharing your observations with The Great Nature Project!
Doren B
Amazing to find so many in one place and to get such a great photo of that occurrence!
Carol Snow Milne
Thank you so much! I was thrilled I found 50 over several days, but not thrilled I touched the spines by accident.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Butterflies & Moths of the World
Mission
Moths of the World
Mission
Caterpillars and larvae of the World
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project
Mission
The Bug Chicks Sofa Safari
Photographed
PublishedOctober 1, 2014

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