September 19 afternoon

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  I have posted pictures of these two rather different geometrid caterpillars recently, but I couldn’t resist photographing them again.  I wanted a lateral view of Rheumaptera undulata to show the broad white spiracular stripe,  which helps to identify the caterpillar.  And, while I thought my previous photograph of Biston betularia was of the full-grown caterpillar, it has continued to grow since then and is now about 7 cm (2 ¾ in) long. 

 

Scallop Shell Rheumaptera undulata (Lep.: Geomatridae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

Peppered Moth Biston betularia (Lep.: Geometridae)  Jeremy Tatum