2018 June 6

 

   Jeremy Tatum sends a photograph of a Sheep Moth caterpillar from Snowberry on Mount Tolmie.  If you find one of these caterpillars, you should be aware that, if handled, the caterpillar may give you a rash.

 

Sheep Moth Hemileuca eglanterina (Lep.: Saturniidae)  Jeremy Tatum

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Some viewers may have heard a news item today on CBC about a caterpillar that fell from a tree into a baby’s mouth.  The baby was taken to the hospital where the caterpillar was identified as a Silver-spotted Tiger Moth (amazing that someone knew!) and the caterpillar and its hairs were painstakingly removed.  This is not, of course, a “funny” story – it could have been very serious and it must have been a terrifying experience for the baby and the mother.  The mother had seen similar caterpillars before and had thought that they turned into beautiful butterflies, but now she learned that this particular one turns into a horrible ugly moth.  To most of us, the Silver-spotted Tiger Moth is a beautiful creature, but we can certainly understand the mother’s view after such a traumatic experience.

 

  Caterpillars and Rashes.  I have never experienced any trouble at all with tiger moth caterpillars (“woolly bears”  – Arctiinae).  I am more cautious with tussock moths (Lymantriinae) although I have never  actually experienced any discomfort from them.  Some people refer to Lophocampa maculata as the “Spotted Tussock Moth”.  This is quite wrong – it is a tiger moth not a tussock moth.  The only local caterpillar that affects me is that of the Sheep Moth, illustrated above.  Tent caterpillars (Lasiocampidae) don’t affect me at all, though I remember from my younger days that there is a lasiocampid in Britain called the Fox Moth which gives a very bad rash indeed.  I have never tried handling our local American Lappet Moth (a lasiocampid) – I would be a bit wary of it.  There is apparently a South American saturniid whose rash can prove fatal.

 

   Jochen Möhr sends a picture of a rough stink bug from Metchosin.   Probably wise not to handle it.

 

Rough stink bug Brochymena sp.: (Hem.: Pentatomidae) Jochen Möhr

 

 

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  Here is a Western Tiger Swallowtail, reared from a first instar caterpillar found at Panama Flats last year.  The adult butterfly emerged today, and has already found company of his/her own species at Playfair Park, where there is lots of nectar to be had.

 

Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus (Lep.: Papilionidae)  Jeremy Tatum