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Caterpillar |
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tim-f
Senior Member Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Location: Bristol, UK Status: Offline Points: 208 |
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Posted: 28 Jun 2012 at 9:35pm |
On Lundy, 16 June 2012. Maybe 50mm long. Any ideas?
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Iowarth
Admin Group Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Status: Offline Points: 743 |
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Looks to me like a Greater Mythical Invisible Moth caterpillar - although I might manage a better guess with a picture! Chris |
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Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme (RETIRED) |
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tim-f
Senior Member Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Location: Bristol, UK Status: Offline Points: 208 |
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I thought you might be up for a challenge. Here's a little clue.
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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I'm no entomologist but it looks like a Fox Moth Caterpillar, a quick google confirmed they are found on Lundy.
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tim-f
Senior Member Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Location: Bristol, UK Status: Offline Points: 208 |
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Thanks Gemma. They feed on heather, which was present, so looks likely.
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Noodles
Senior Member Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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It's actually an Oak Eggar, which is superficially similar to the Fox moth; the latter lacking the white lateral markings. They also share the same heathland habitats, feeding on heathers as well as a variety of more widespread plant species (unlike the Fox).
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GemmaJF
Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Location: Essex Status: Offline Points: 4359 |
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Nice one Noodles, I wasn't entirely convinced it was a Fox moth caterpillar, nice to know what it actually is.
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Noodles
Senior Member Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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Just don't pick either up unless you want itchy hands for a couple of days!
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Suzy
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447 |
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Is the oak egger a day flying moth that tends to have large hatches on the wing at once over heathland? I once witnessed the amazing sight of four hobbies hunting them down. There were hundreds of the moths on the wing at once and i guess that attracted the hawks. We just stood still and it was going on all around us and then suddenly the moths had all gone and so had the hobbies. One of those amazing things you see when out and about. So amazing I can't remember the moths' name but I think Oak Eggers!
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Suz
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Noodles
Senior Member Joined: 05 Dec 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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OE can be seen in the day flying fast (and zig zaggy) above the heather.
There are also several other day flying moorland moth species of similar size but O Eggars would be a good bet (also Emperor or possibly Tiger moth species). Male Fox moths are more elusive and would tend not to be seen in numbers i would suggest. However, i'd not be surprised if hobbies took them all. Anyhow, it sounds like a great event you witnessed. OE is so named because it's cocoon resembles a detached acorn and typically only the male of all the above species fly during the day.
Plenty of classic aircraft names in there eh Gemma? The Oak Eggar aircraft would not have had a pleasing ring to it, i suspect.
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