Forum home› Wildlife gardening
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Looks Like a Caterpillar But is it?

februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
in Wildlife gardening
I'm not going to lie, I have no idea whether this is a thing or not.



I saw it on my greengage tree and the hairs remind of a caterpillar but to be honest I'm not sure what it is. If it's a caterpillar it's an incredibly short one.

Sorry the photo isn't great, it was in a really difficult place to photograph. 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Is it the previously shed skin of a caterpillar who has since moved on?

    https://naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com/2019/07/27/caterpillars-eating-molting/

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    It could be a shed skin from a hairy caterpillar. The shed skins seem to shrivel up as they dry out so they look a bit odd. 
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Could it be a Burr? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ErgatesErgates Posts: 2,953
    Looks like a seed case from some plant? I’m sure I’ve seen similar in the garden, and had them stuck to my clothes.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I think it's the caterpillar of the Garden Tiger Moth, also known as a furry bear.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    Caterpillar skin definitely looks most like it. The only fluffy one I've seen in the garden this year is a vapourer moth but the above looks more white. Would love to know exactly what it is, me and my cousin had a hairy caterpillar obsession when we were kids. All I remember is that they were black and orange and we'd be up to our armpits in rashes 😂 We were constantly being told to leave them alone but nope, we'd be back out looking for more!
Sign In or Register to comment.