Joined: Feb 27, 2014 Last Active: Apr 25, 2024 iNaturalist
Suggestions for photographing larva of Lepidoptera
I use iNaturalist filters extensively to ID insects. Feel free to ask me for details about how to do specific searches.
Most Plusiines cannot be reliably IDed from a larval photo.
Detailed information regarding difficulty of identifying Plusiine Family larvae in "Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America" by David L. Wagner, et al. -- pp 291-293 in PDF version of text (without photos)
Links to filtered searches that I often refer to for help in IDs.
Larvae and other early stages of North American Lepidoptera
Plusiinae, Bagisarinae, Eustrotiines, Cydosiinae, some members of Erebidae (Grass Loopers), and Acontiinae subfamilies of moths have two pairs of prolegs.
Collomeninae (tropical) - first two sets of prolegs greatly reduced making it look they have two pairs of prolegs. Not yet certain that I have mentioned all those moth larvae with this arrangement of legs.
Plusiinae larva - RG - US
World-wide list of moths in Plusiinae Subfamily - with some photos of larva when available (text in German)
https://lepiforum.org/wiki/taxonomy/Noctuoidea/Noctuidae/Plusiinae?view=0&sort=a®ions
Plusiinae pupa
Trichoplusia ni - 82 photos
Trichoplusia ni
Tachinid flies
Eosphoropteryx thyatyroides
Enigmogramma basigera (Often found on Lobelia)
Autographa californica
Autographa
Syngrapha
Larvae images of Plusiinae on MPG
---- others misidentifed as Plusiinae larva
Plutella xylostella
Diaphania hyalinata - Melonworm Moth
Pieris rapae
Diaphania nitidalis
Ponometia candefacta
Alsophila pometaria larvae - Fall Cankerworm Moth
Evergestis rimosalis
Ogdoconta cinereola
Bagisara larvae
Eustrotiinae larvae
Baileya larvae
Panopoda larvae
Euclidiini larvae
Moonseed Moth larvae - sometimes green
Herald Moth larvae (looks like there are also some other species in this collection)
Hypena larvae (many with 3 pairs of prolegs)
Pangraptinae larvae
Orthosia larvae
Lithophane larvae
Spargaloma sexpunctata larvae (host plant - Dogbane)
Isogona snowi larva (Southern Texas - host spiny hackberry)
Hypsoropha hormos larva (host - Persimmon)
Anomis larva (mostly southern US) (This link seems to have many other larvae posted here other than Anomis)
Oxycilla malaca larva (Southern Arizona, Texas)
Rivula larvae
Callopistria cordata larvae
Callopistria floridensis larvae
Leuconycta larvae
Condica larvae
Feralia larvae
Note for Geometer larvae
Good photo of Geometrid legs
Geometridae larvae
Lepidoptera Biodiversity
Micros through Tortricidae
Plusiinae caterpillars can be identified by their common body characteristics - all have reduced prolegs (typically only three pairs rather than the usual five, though one genera has four pairs) with a gap before the rear prolegs.
Abrostola tripartita larva - four pairs
Lepidoptera larvae on Brassica vegetables
Cutworm pests of crops on the Canadian Prairies : identification and management field guide. PDF available on this site. Also a very wide variety of other PDF guides.
https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.834174
/publication.html
Cutworm photos
Featured Creatures
Insects of the World
LepIntercept
Caterpillar Morphology
Rearing caterpillars
The Caterpillar Lab
BugGuide Contributor
Lepidoptera Superfamilies - Guide
Superfamily Gelechioidea - Twirler Moths and kin
Tortricid.net
Unidentified microlep larva
Wingless female moths
Caterpillar Identification
Lepidoptera eggs
Key to caterpillar ID
Pyralid and Crambids - Australian guide
Unidentified immature Coleoptera
Caterpillars - MPG
Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America - Excellent book
but out of print. Information about online access
Lepidoptera
Moths of Europe and East Africa
Butterflies and Moths - larva
Butterflies and Moths larvae - RG only
Noctuina larva - RG - USA
Leaf-roller larvae - ID hints
Casebearers - larva
Bucculatrix - pupa
Butterflies and Moths - pupa
Illustrated Guide to the Immature Lepidoptera on Oaks in Missouri (free PDF publication) plus many other publications.
Catocala larva - RG
Oak Leafroller Moths
Flower Moths
Bucculatrix - pupa
Bagworms, Clothes Moths and Allies - larva
Household Casebearer - larva
"Fern balls"
Octagonal Casemaker Moth - Homaledra octagonella
Commonly Observed Moth Eggs
Subfamily Cryptocephalinae - Case-bearing Leaf Beetles - unidentified immatures
Commonly Observed Bug Eggs
Arthropod Pathogenic Fungi
Insect Destroyers
Metarhizium (fungus)
Beauveria (fungus)
Things mistaken for eggs
Common Mummy Wasps - pupa
Free pdf download
Copidosoma
Meteorus pupae
Campopleginae pupae
Microgastrinae pupae
Euplectrus larvae
Hover Flies - larva
Syrphini
True Weevils - larvae
Aphid Mummy Wasps
Sawflies, Horntails and Wood Wasps
Euthyatira pudens - Dogwood Thyatirid (larva resembles sawfly larva)
Sterictiphora
Leafminers - Wisconsin
Hyperparasitoids
European Lepidoptera
Rare, Declining, and Poorly Known Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) of Forests and Woodlands in the Eastern United States (available as download on this site)
Insecta Images
Family Scythrididae - Flower Moths
Stereomita andropogonis
Food Plant Database
FUR
iNaturalist Help
How to Use iNaturalist's Search URLS
Link multiple observations of same individual over time
Similar Observation Sets (under construction...)
(comments)
Plusiine larva IDs
inaturalist.org/observations/12095962
inaturalist.org/observations/100089178
How to search leafminers on iNat by host species
Mochas - Pupae
(larva hanging from trees, threads, etc.)
inaturalist.org/observations/83192706
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List of added annotations
Maverick IDs
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