This one had a narrow escape!
By Fleur
@Fleura (29128)
United Kingdom
August 17, 2022 4:45pm CST
Yesterday I was just dead-heading some roses – which are surviving surprisingly well in our extremely dry summer – when I noticed that one stalk looked a little bit puffier than normal. So before pruning it I stopped and took a closer look – which was extremely lucky for this caterpillar!
Once I had noticed it of course it was hard to miss, because it was really quite large at about 3 inches long! But it is doing rather a good impression of a flower stalk.
I don’t know what species it could be. The most common ‘caterpillars’ on roses are actually sawfly larvae, and it isn’t one of those as they are quite different (there are a whole family of them enjoying one of my other larger bushes!)
I suppose I could go back and look for it again and see if I could raise it and see what it turned into. But of course that could take months. So for now it is still enjoying its freedom (and my rose bush).
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2022.
18 people like this
17 responses
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 22
S/he's a peppered moth
https://phys.org/news/2019-08-caterpillars-peppered-moth-skin.html
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 22
This is the adult
The usual form in rural areas is all white peppered with black dots on both the wings and body. Black forms known as f. carbonaria were once dominant in industrial areas with high levels of pollution although their frequency has been steadily declining in
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
18 Aug 22
@Fleura I have found an insect that looked like a dried stem.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
18 Aug 22
@allknowing They are clever mimics aren't they?
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 22
Found it - I'm sure it's the caterpillar of the peppered moth. It looks just like this
https://phys.org/news/2019-08-caterpillars-peppered-moth-skin.html
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 22
And this is the adult
The usual form in rural areas is all white peppered with black dots on both the wings and body. Black forms known as f. carbonaria were once dominant in industrial areas with high levels of pollution although their frequency has been steadily declining in
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
18 Aug 22
Other than the size of it, it's rather unimpresive-looking, isn't it?
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16532)
• China
18 Aug 22
The caterpillar's colour is an excellent camourflage.It looks like a measuringworm.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29128)
• United Kingdom
18 Aug 22
I did keep a different type of caterpillar once to see what it turned into, so I could do the same. They all do create cocoons and then emerge as butterflies or moths but you never know how long the process will take, it could take weeks or months!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95189)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Aug 22
It does blend in real well. Glad you seen it.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (57687)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Aug 22
Just let it have the rose bush. It seems happy.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Aug 22
Lucky caterpillar and glad he can hang out on your rose bush,
1 person likes this
@Natalie3126 (123)
•
17 Aug 22
Caterpillar looking like enjoying his/her time, hope you enjoy your time and stay safe for the heat of summer
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