What kind of caterpillar is this? - Ask Extension
This was in my yard in Hillsboro. Could you help me identify it?
Knowledgebase
What kind of caterpillar is this? #722667
Asked September 10, 2020, 2:14 PM EDT
This was in my yard in Hillsboro. Could you help me identify it?
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Please send a top view of the caterpillar, also one with a head shot from the front.
If you need to slow it down, put it in a container in the fridge (not the freezer!) for 5 minutes, then take it out of the container and put it on a plain background.
Thanks for that info. I am new to taking photos of the denizens of my yard. This caterpillar is long gone, but I will have a better idea of how to take a picture the next time.
Can other insects, like bees, be put in the refrigerator to slow them down? I really don't want to use a kill jar.
Jane
Can other insects, like bees, be put in the refrigerator to slow them down? I really don't want to use a kill jar.
Jane
Jane,
Yes, you can safely put other insects into the fridge to slow them down in order to take a focused image or just to plain see them up close! Limit the time to 5 or 10 minutes. Then release them outdoors.
If you'd like a fun project with any future caterpillars you find at your place, you might consider rearing them to adulthood. Once that's occurred, you can submit the adult's image -- they're often easier to ID than are the youngsters.
To rear a caterpillar, put it in a clear container with a porous lid, set it somewhere you'll see it every day (but not in the sun) and feed it leaves of the plant you found it on. With time, it will change into a pupa, the non-feeding stage during which it transforms into the adult. Next, wait until the adult emerges.
