Caterpillars, are any worth keeping?

[Pearcy001]

Hi all,

Random question as I was curious.

Just wondering if anyone knows if their are any Caterpillars worth saving?

To elaborate I still mean removal from your garden, but are any rare and worth rehoming to another (neighbours) garden?

I found this one today. I would normally 'take him out to the back paddock' but I hesitated a moment due to its uniqueness.

Does anyone do this out or query? Are there any rare butterfly species that should be kept? Or does everyone here play a quick game of mash potato?

Here's a photo of the blue headed bonsai muncher for anyone interested. Feel free to share some cool caterpillar photos you have found too if you like, some can look mighty interesting.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[thoglette]

Are there any rare butterfly species that should be kept?

Yes, the fun part is trying to ID the butterfly from the caterpillar, while fuming about the damaged done to the tree

[Pearcy001]

Yes, the fun part is trying to ID the butterfly from the caterpillar, while fuming about the damaged done to the tree

I tried for a long time to try ID the caterpillar but to no avail. Is there a site you use?

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[Max]

Pearcy the closest i got was some ants dragging one back to their nest. I've been trying for the hour also

[shibui]

You could try posting on 'Bowerbird' http://www.bowerbird.org.au/
Bowerbird was set up to keep records of sightings of plants and animals as another way for scientists to monitor what is where. there are experts monitoring the site to give feedback and ID on lots of different stuff.

Others I know have contributed but the site won't accept any pictures from me yet so I'd appreciate feedback if anyone else can get something up.

[Max]

found it.....rather plain looking moth....Pine Beauty Looper....caterpillars that move in the inching fashion are called "loopers"....Chlenias Banksiaria

[Pearcy001]

found it.....rather plain looking moth....Pine Beauty Looper....caterpillars that move in the inching fashion are called "loopers"....Chlenias Banksiaria

Great find mate! I think I was concentrating far too much on a super bright blue head.

Reading up on them they love pines and conifers, which is exactly where I found it (Shimpaku). I didn't think caterpillars liked conifers, now I know to check!

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Ryceman3]

Not sure about "good" caterpillars - but that is a pretty decent photo so congrats on that!

[Pearcy001]

Haha thanks Ryceman, quite annoying to get natural lighting to work for you on a phone.

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[tgward]

I think i'm too drunk to comment.------but then-------unless it's a herd of caterpillars they don't really warrant complete obliteration

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

Herds of caterpillars are usually only seen grazing in old country & western movies - nowadays they move in Army's. ....

[thoglette]

I tried for a long time to try ID the caterpillar but to no avail. Is there a site you use?

Not really: wikipedia is my go-to, then usually local museum pages and including .gov.au as a search term. Most ag departments have a list of "pest" species. The huge number of species makes it pretty hard if it's not something common.

My gardens seems to only ever contain Cabbage 'moths" (Pieris rapae) and bollworms

[Theodore]

Squish