Brown caterpillar

  • 9 Replies
  • 2611 Views
*

Rich72

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
  • 176
Brown caterpillar
« on: August 20, 2011, 15:23 »
Whilst inspecting my sprouts for pests, I have just come across a huge brown caterpillar. 3" long by .5" wide. Does anyone know what kind of butterfly/moth this has come from?
I have turfed all the cabbage white caterpillars off so I know its not one of them.

I feel I should add, I did have netting around my sprouts but had a grass snake stuck in it which required surgical precision to free and then a blue tit met its untimely end by hanging so I have taken it down and am relying on good old fashioned vigilance now

*

arugula

  • Winner - prettiest sunflower 2011
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Coastal Argyll
  • 24904
  • hic svnt leones
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2011, 15:27 »
Have you taken a photo you can post for us?  :)
"They say a snow year's a good year" -- Rutherford.

*

Rich72

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
  • 176
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2011, 15:31 »
No sorry. I just threw it over the fence with the rest of the cabbage white caterpillars. Will keep my eyes peeled for more though and if I find one I will post a pic

*

arugula

  • Winner - prettiest sunflower 2011
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Coastal Argyll
  • 24904
  • hic svnt leones
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2011, 15:35 »
That's a shame, but not to worry. Did it have stripes or spots in a different colour then or hairy spikes?

 :)

*

Rich72

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
  • 176
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2011, 13:38 »
It was a pale brown colour, appeared hairless, seemed to have lighter brown markings on its sides but not sure they were spots or stripes. I am curious a) I have never seen a caterpillar that size in England before (the cabbage whites were tiny compared) and b) are they likely to keep attacking my sprouts?

*

cob nut

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Kent
  • 223
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2011, 13:41 »
Could it be one of the Hawkmoth caterpillars??  they usually have a little "tail" sticking up at the end of the body.  Hawkmoth caterpillars are the largest that I have seen.

*

arugula

  • Winner - prettiest sunflower 2011
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Coastal Argyll
  • 24904
  • hic svnt leones
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2011, 13:44 »
I'm just wondering cutworm....  :unsure:


*

jabailey

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Location: Edge of North York Moors.
  • 9
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2011, 15:15 »
If 3" long I suspect it was the caterpillar of the Elephant Hawk Moth , I had one on the allotment a couple of weeks ago.

*

BabbyAnn

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: nottinghamshire
  • 1478
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2011, 15:30 »
Do you have a lot of willow herb on your plot?  There seemed to be a surge of Elephant Hawk moth / caterpillars one year in my garden and I found the caterpillars on these plants.  They tend to have 2 big spots on the head that look like eyes.  There's a couple of photos in this link http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/elephantmth.htm which give a good idea of what they look like

*

Rich72

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
  • 176
Re: Brown caterpillar
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2011, 11:33 »
Yes. Think it must be hawkmoth caterpillar. There isnt actually any willowherb on my plot but there tons of it nearby. Must have fancied a change of diet



clip
Caterpillar ID

Started by teamspotty on Grow Your Own

9 Replies
3361 Views
Last post April 11, 2015, 13:15
by teamspotty
xx
Caterpillar Help

Started by Andy J on Grow Your Own

5 Replies
2157 Views
Last post July 13, 2010, 19:38
by Comfortably Numb
clip
Caterpillar

Started by mdjlucan on Grow Your Own

5 Replies
2186 Views
Last post July 18, 2015, 22:04
by Salmo
xx
Caterpillar Help..

Started by AndyRVTR on Grow Your Own

4 Replies
2351 Views
Last post August 31, 2010, 19:17
by Jamie Butterworth
 

Page created in 0.299 seconds with 39 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |