Those of you who have visited my blog recently will know that I have
been collating my photos of
butterflies and
moths. Today I am turning my attention to their larvae, beginning with the larvae of
MOTHS...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnRvmbNEIWN14wXFeQUZnpgZiyq8gKmtxab9-3OyhYdTd9Q5iBC1nZUtNAOvLc5CXQl0mfikY1-ocSvepKhU9bDeVXtcSNlJFEIQcZY7pvmI2RICBvX1Iqmi20yYhs8uZOoQAs9kL8ao/s280/bl186EmperorMothcaterpillar1.jpg) |
Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) larva, I'm guessing 5th instar, Dunwich Heath, Suffolk, |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi16MJ1k4tDVRrcfRTrzTUWNokN3ankJNVVlzrz_ijOpyws1MFg-a-Vp6N6d29AkWSVE1CC7hgz6NNiCUkiU6p6FXzMjLuEEqtBrdpV3pSRLN7VhjlywW7Kt0dTr8my7QPMwRgyfMFhPg/s280/caterpillar+-+mullein+11+june+2017+flatford-1210832.jpg) |
Mullein moth larva, RSPB Wildlife Garden, Flatford, Suffolk, 2017
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBEwOGDrJe0j3VRjtypW40ikoN-Bih2x6axpIcTBhLDnK6bZKEaxAy858Je3NGZwVqWyHACy4uWAgswR89RUPRRFO7HljH6GgPqQAGziRbiAqURTXPqVqCNpcwFwqaOdtDWUmTKc2Ou4/s280/caterpillar+-+2016+drinker+moth+flatford+22may-1110422.jpg) |
Above and below: Drinker moth (Euthrix potatoria) larva, Flatford, Suffolk, 2016 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ_Qw6RVOiApZn0SMqkEtB3nd27qbDZkKNKM2Z-n_0VUPaG25Rb59RP5rNwvmlLBcHPlvnNJGlpr5lhYYbkDdwgXcv3WBYeIOpon3y7PTFrY9rOUXAMzgigSplTdlba3VMD4csVhdb6E/s280/bl_434caterpillar+cuthbert_b_20091.jpg) |
Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) larva, St Columba's inland island (photo here),
Snizort River on Skye, 2010 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3wAZdhWbN1Gc1-N3I4Jm7l8Q1rlhWrOTbmPuRwlePQwNgz4PKLe1vU2nY5K4aryUK0AiMkFb3GMeser8gTQjU9NL23PLDgqckw1PumewSH9tBDn_e3ANJbq205zrZ3WNmDH-_ExZ0uk/s280/bl_Gower_Oxwich_caterpillar0281.jpg) |
Fox Moth (Macrthylacia rubi)
early instar larva on Raasay, Inner Hebrides, Sept. 2009 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcD_kWaUH6nhUrlhpZj6mSgZ3BBt9f5bWXv4l8eH0qhxk2ZWwhyphenhyphenzD3ZeZpwOLgb06uGmkYy4GdZqmdK5tzOBMsx_mGCShst4Gqx_HKhw7chf7Abtpxgw2L2Iv_ozw0gBq6mrXrJFIJ5g/s280/caterpillar+-+brown-tail+holme+21+apr+2017-1190641.jpg) |
More Brown tail larvae, RSPB Holme Dunes, Norfolk, 2017 |
*
Moving on to the larvae of DAY-FLYING MOTHS
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtciKTOOYZkfFvTrXFGimNZFGTvCBvPPUdoXzbhVIvoKKGoLXU82YsZ_ZDNlGBo4qFFPS9DYLoLlySiARMCIVVVGJdTNMuNoP-a7qIuwfsBZQ1QGsae5x4Qs1AjDcoFVzphlKOJFZ2108/s280/caterpillar+-+cinnabar+2016+3+july+snape-1400914.jpg) |
Cinnabar moth larvae on (stripped) Ragwort, Snape, Suffolk |
* * *
The larvae of BUTTERFLIES
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZD798aGaRVfyWy_aCEcrlJdQ9Swu9cp7lzp_1WkpGGHYpVds3DueDe7y6JvpRXDfpjcoZqcpxpNGUbgAwvNlVWOi97CXB_qG44Y43kzJpCtRFkK2QE50BvO1ADNo6JAeGkc0hDFtvIA/s280/bl_z_134swallowtail+caterpillar1.jpg) |
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) larva, Norfolk |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-Ygr7ymx2v2iBkoIqWQ2OA6ZMt3JWlrYKSDtKFMraOmvivj_A3FZRWclBG995mhd2vy67_a-bcMYarnkTwLiWakylQp0EmBAyC1uEDnyK6B5UHCkyQMIPOXdEzOYzRXLJ5RaAzRdmy4/s280/bl_z_151swallowtail+caterpillar1.jpg) |
Swallowtail, devouring Milk Parsley, Norfolk |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCm2pWAWIK9Z5ibQPujJId8GrY0BBCrPl888i9PGqT_B1MtIoQEilgGfmSOCUslPl5kgU_eIWb8yCW_EF0jnYfNZyOAM6yopAXmTrOIbx_51GBCllJ5MLi5eemoS6SE3QsgzwgkTe5c8Y/s280/bl_z_162swallowtail+caterpillar1.jpg) |
Swallowtail larva, Norfolk
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLb7B_9iCO1_JPsXcPlgq3uxql-LJglCA_NQnRr-rX7SrNHuuXx5swBHoq1AE7MxX4J5CDIijKriAMP39YY8Etfq99c0bQFOJy29ezPwiZkxV2osYVDbxM3rYK9-MDFYOZMn7CqXAhqcU/s280/bl_z_129swallowtail+caterpillar1.jpg) |
Swallowtail larva, Norfolk |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVSKcuznTVmWC9u_lLwUstbId8TcALjQ7nguEwLq0uvokoKZSptIjiiqKmeXwUkKea0VStf9teTn9KVWFMVYuy9bQQRf_At8M_7nWUfPXIuG1DBhRIj87fryRiC-TBH8SA-Ix0XWUWAc/s280/bl_z_180swallowtail+caterpillar1.jpg) |
Swallowtail on Milk Parsley umbels |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2W6opxsoic8qLxBMevGtx3FxAWuiIU_zlVsE9XJE5GbH6D-Awx1AMqgGYgkjxZbMAC3ydGo_iJrzhY_WVAMoiXanDxMqfqNNQ8dfXGh8uA1LwMCdGXBopFze3BO-vnHK0cqITxUnR4s/s280/bl_z_180swallowtail+young+caterpillar1.jpg) |
I'm guessing this is a first instar Swallowtail larva, Norfolk |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ErcKHN9h7l89FIEvomqDOh1sw9zPaMtoFqmYhzVmtdkawxdckt5suxV-CXdA2Itwo0LLEoKAwE36CLcxS1QvusqJ2LlcSE1gK8lilzklE9j9aSl75XfZAfv6ji5aDcyzEomkw57FWr0/s280/caterpillar+-+peacock+2016+3+july+welney+point+brown-tail+drinker+moth+flatford+22may-1400882.jpg) |
Peacock (Aglais io) larva, RSPB Minsmere, 2016 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6yowzjMP09BLCdQ_MWNPYWM4oFaQd4mNu_o4uT6xWyC6hAyzudIw2gtsbn09RHI7C4h4L3TqIGZz6I2iXYtfxzHQM0KFOBwUsQESFoktnW-ccYbO9HntwX34VwSkdj_bF1SODZCB7XI/s280/caterpillar+-+large+white+2016+31+july+flatford-1150660.jpg) |
Large White larvae, NT Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk |
This is not a very scientific post, I'm afraid, but I wanted to group my photos together. I hope it shows something of the diversity in terms of colour, hairiness and shape of a small selection of our UK lepidoptera larvae. As ever, if you spot an error, please feel free to drop a line in the Comments section...
Love those swallowtail caterpillars.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images. Nice to see the larval stages instead of adults for a change.
ReplyDeleteA lovely selection of larvae, Caroline! The swallowtail caterpillar is amazing!
ReplyDeleteA super selection of butterfly and moth caterpillars - especially love the Swallowtail :) You've made me realise how few caterpillar photos I have taken - only Cinnabar and Emperor moths from memory.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos.. and as others have said so interesting to see the larvae stage and not just the adult butterflies or moths. I don't take many caterpillar photos either, although I did take one of an elephant hawk moth caterpillar the other day.
ReplyDelete