A couple of days ago my brother found a Cecropia caterpillar crawling across our driveway. I took the caterpillar inside and I have been feeding it on apple (I figured it was eating our apple trees in the front yard). But when I first saw the caterpillar, I noticed something odd about it. To someone who had never seen a Cecropia caterpillar before, the odd white dots would have been mistaken as markings, but I have had experience with Cecropias before and have never seen anything like it. There are very small white dots down the back of the caterpillar and on one side. I have spent the last hour or so searching for information on caterpillar parasites online, but none of the parasitic eggs look like what is on this caterpillar. Compared to other parasitic eggs, these are very small and lay horizontally, not vertically. Is it a parasite or a fungus of some sort? If anyone has any ideas, just let me know. Or if you know of a good website to help identify a caterpillar parasite/fungus, could you let me know. I am clueless on what it could be; sorry I don’t have a digital camera to post pics…
And one last question; is it possible to still raise this caterpillar to adulthood, or is it doomed?
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Odd white dots on Caterpillar.......
Replies (1)
picture would help - do you have a friend you can borrow a camera from? I have been rearing these for many years and they are often parasitized (to the point of being threatened in the Northeast). It could be that the cocoon of the wasp/fly have not fully emerged yet. If it is something else, there are some people who do research on parasites and pathogens of the Saturniid moths. Please email me via my name link above for info on this and who might be interested in seeing the cat. If they come out please do not destroy either the wasps or the caterpillar if you want it to be looked at - put everything in an escape proof container with a a ventilated top (cheese cloth or other fabric with rubberband).
Whether parasite of pathogen, it will not reach adulthood. It will die either in its larval or pupal stage depending on cause. I assume you are feeding it apple foliage and not the fruit?
Btw, where do you live?
lele
