This is my first post for Macro Monday which will probably become a weekly feature. After two years of Monochrome Monday posts I thought it was time for a change.
This is also my contribution to the Friendly Friday Challenge: Unusual.
This is a rare colour variation of the Grey Dagger Moth caterpillar photographed in Hatherton, Cheshire, England in the early 1990s.
The very pale bluish stripe down the centre of the back of the caterpillar is normally a bright yellow. When I found and photographed this specimen I had to do some research. I could find no reference to this colour variation in any of my books so I went to see an entomologist friend to see what we could find in his reference books. In the end we found a reference to the colour variation in a 19th century reference book.
14 replies on “An Unusual Caterpillar”
Cool variation. It must have been fun to track down something like that.
I thought it was interesting but I couldn’t caption and submit the photos to the natural history photo agency until I had confirmed the rare colour variation. Nowadays you can find photos of the rare colour variation online but I didn’t find a written reference to it online.
How interesting that you have to go all the way back to a 19th century reference book!
I was beginning to think that we wouldn’t find a reference to the colour variation.
Indeed. And you almost didn’t!
Now that is one scary caterpillar for me…I am afraid of slimy crawling things. But I know it will blossom to become a beautiful butterfly! Lovely capture with hairy dozens of of caterpillar legs so visually clear! LOL!
As a child I had an allergic reaction to a hairy caterpillar so I avoid touching them but otherwise I like them.
Ooh you are brave! I would avoid it at all costs!!
Highly unusual caterpillar and fantastic that you were able to photograph it! Thanks for joining in on Friendly Friday too. We really enjoy seeing quality natural photographs like this.
Thank you. It was more unusual pre internet as I found a couple of photos of this colour variation researching the post.
👌
Wow, that’s quite a specimen!
The strange thing is that I have never even seen the common colour variation.
Ah, OK