funny looking caterpillar

[Galapoheros]

I thought the head on this small caterpillar looked funny enough. Whoa, I just noticed how much it looks like it has teeth while I was just typing this! It doesn't of course, that's pretty weird looking. I need to try to get a better pic of that. It almost looks like I messed with it. I only used the "sharpen" feature ..maybe it did that. Had a hard time getting my camera to focus on it ...it's pretty small.

 

[lucanidae]

Whoa! Can you do me a favor and get a picture of the underside, specifically the/any prolegs, and maybe an in focus shot of the head from the front? That would greatly help in the identification.

 

[Galapoheros]

OK, I'll work on it, going to bed now. It's small so it's hard to get a good focused shot, but I'll get it.

 

[Galapoheros]

I managed to get a better pic of the head but my camera just won't get any closer.

I jacked up the brightness in this one, you can see the detail on the head a little better.

 

[Choobaine]

I'm going to be completely useless and say - I have NO idea what it is but it's outrageously cute. It really is. And those are gorgeous photographs. Not what you need to hear like but just so you know... I'll do some research, I have a book of various butterflies, moths and their larvae I'm sure I'll find something.

 

[lucanidae]

Unfortunately a book on butterflies and moths isn't going to help, as I believe this is a sawfly in the order Hymenoptera. An underside shot would confirm it, but from the face shot is seems it is lacking ad frontals which all caterpillars have.

 

[Galapoheros]

Wow! Not a caterpillar? I didn't know Sawfly larvae looked so much like butterfly and moth caterpillars. That's new to me, thanks!

one more pic

 

[Choobaine]

Yeah I had no idea either... I'm not well versed in anything outside my region. Well. Now I know. I can sit in shame for my sheer lack of knowledge.

 

[lucanidae]

Hmmm......I'm not so sure anymore. The proleg arrangement looks very lepidopteran, perhaps the ad frontals just aren't showing up in the picture..... Can you take a close look at the prolegs and see if they have little hooks on them?

 

[Galapoheros]

Sorry Luc, I just don't have the proper equipment to take a closer look. Since it's about to winter up, I'm going to assume it's mature ..whatever it is. So I'll hold on to it and see if it pupates, ha, how much work can that be... Maybe we could take a look at that and get more info. Regardless, the Sawfly larvae possibility really surprised me after I Googled it and looked into it more, just didn't know they were so similar.

 

[tin man]

It looks like it has a human face. :drool:
Tell us when it changes.

 

[Kharnifex]

looks alot like this guy....

 

[Choobaine]

Holy ... whatever is actually holy! I love that book! Or loved. Anyway...

 

[dtknow]

dude...that caterpillar is freaking me out!