A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Hemileuca sp. (probably H. mania)
Large, black Saturniid caterpillar about 4 cm long of the genus Hemileuca. The spines look venomous and are in clusters along the body. The spines are yellow, white and black and the body was speckled with yellow scales.
Found on the ground, very torpid. It must be preparing to pupate. San Cristobal de Las Casas, 2,200 meters.
Spotted on Dec 11, 2013
Submitted on Dec 13, 2013
4 Comments
Thank you Bill :)
Yes, I think it is most likely Hemileuca mania.
Bill Oehlke
Thank you Ryan. If I find this larva again, I will try to rear it out to an adult.
Hemileuca not Nymphalidae. Probably the first photograph of the larva of this species (based on your other submission of what I believe to be Hemileuca mania from the same locale). Of course this is impossible to say for sure without rearing. Regardless, the life histories of Hemileuca spp. found in Mexico (and not also in the USA) are not well known.