Unidentified Caterpillar

[Clive]

Hola,

I was wondering if we needed a board specifically for posting stuff for identification.....Just wondering.

Any way. Sue took this caterpillar today. any ideas?

Clive

[nick]

Clive,

I've put in here for now...This should work shouldn't it?

unidentified bird goes in birds
unidentified plant goes in flora

etc

Wil start another board if you feel necessary.

[Dave]

Hi all
Once again i am not an expert, but my book by Collins Insects of Britain and Western Europe is very good

Think it could be the Oak Eggar

1637 Oak Eggar Lasiocampa quercus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan 45-75 mm.

The Oak Eggar, despite its name, does not feed on Oak, but is so-called because the shape of its cocoon is acorn-like. The foodplants are mainly heather (Calluna) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), but also include bramble (Rubus), Sallows (Salix), broom (Cytisus scoparius), sloe (Prunus spinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus), hazel (Corylus) and Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides).
There is a considerable variation in shade between different populations
Regards
Dave

[Sue]

Thanks Dave,

that's the fellow, we certainly have plenty of brambles for it to feed on, so he is quite welcome.

I shall look out for the moth later in the year, the flight time starts around May.

Well done

Sue

[Technopat]

Greetings,
Nice pics. Thanx.
I'm glad Dave's Collins on Insects is better than his Collins on English/Spanish!
Linnaeus does it again (1758)!
Regs.
Technopat