Hi Lele,

Thanks! It looks like they're cutworms, because the armyworm's egg mass doesn't look like what I found. I did some research on Google on the cutworm and everything fits. I'm still not sure whether the newly hatched larvae are the same as the bigger worm, because they don't curl into a ball when disturbed and the patterning isn't the same. But the bigger one does.

I was actually going to try and reproduce these in captivity, because they sound like a wonderful feeder for chams. They're soft-bodied, smooth-skinned, they reach a good size (I read they get to be nearly 2" long), but they don't need expensive chows to thrive. Do you think I should reconsider, given their pest status?

Thanks again!


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Julie Williams
www.baskingwonders.com

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