I am in Oklahoma and found these on what might be a young elm tree.
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What are these red headed caterpillers?
LisaOKC
Sep 27, 2004 02:41 PM
Replies (2)
lele
Sep 28, 2004 11:20 AM
Hi - these are actually the larva of a fly: the red-headed sawfly.
Typically you will find them in clusters, as you have. A few things differ b/t these and moth/butterfly caterpillars/larvae
www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/i_love_sy/wildlife/images/dave_ardron_beechleaf_470.jpg
lele
Sep 28, 2004 11:27 AM
>>Hi - these are actually the larva of a fly: the red-headed sawfly.
>>
>>Typically you will find them in clusters, as you have. A few things differ b/t these and Lepidoptera (moth/butterfly) caterpillars/larvae. They all have those first 3 pair of legs (these are the legs we ultimately see in the adult) but the "middle" legs, called prolegs, vary in amount. Leps typically have 4 prolegs in the middle and one at the rear (there are a few exceptions such as the span and inchworms). Sawflys have 5 or more sets of prolegs.
The other thing about sawfly larvae is that they tend to "crook" their rearends! This is in part a defense but also part of their structure. It is more pronounced in some species more than others.
Well, this is probably way more than you wanted to know...so here are some sites:
www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/i_love_sy/wildlife/images/dave_ardron_beechleaf_470.jpg
Red-headed sawfly
