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Stinging rose moth (larva)

Parasa indetermina

Description:

The full-grown caterpillar is 3/4 to 7/8 inch long; basic color is yellow. The body bears pairs of long, horn-like, bristly spines and clumps of smaller spines which are characteristic of several of the slug caterpillars. A useful identifying characteristic is the broad purplish band down the midline of the back. Within the band are narrow whitish longitudinal lines, which may be interrupted by constrictions in the band. Reddish, white, and purple lines occur along the sides. (information from BugGuide)

Habitat:

Deciduous forest. (this specimen was found on a species of oak)

Notes:

Hosts of the stinging rose moth caterpillar include apple, cottonwood, dogwood, hickory, oak, redbud, sycamore and rose bushes.

No species ID suggestions

29 Comments (1–25)

YukoChartraw
YukoChartraw 5 months ago

Looks like a ribbon candy!

Aaron_G
Aaron_G 5 months ago

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments and to PN for the SOTD designation. I was really surprised to find this caterpillar and its beauty was definitely not lost on me. :-)

KarenL
KarenL 7 months ago

Awesome spotting Aaron! Congratulations!

Congratulations Aaron on this SOTD!

Jakubko
Jakubko 7 months ago

Congratulations on a stellar spotting! This moth is amazing! Could you add it to my mission, Moths of the World? Thanks very much!

Jonathan Sequeira
Jonathan Sequeira 7 months ago

Felicitaciones en el SOTD

Reza Hashemizadeh
Reza Hashemizadeh 7 months ago

Congratulations Aaron on this Beautiful Spot and SoTD !

Jolly Ibañez
Jolly Ibañez 7 months ago

Congratulations Aaron. Beautiful SOTD

Adam Braz tb2
Adam Braz tb2 7 months ago

Congratulations, nice spotting!

CarolSnowMilne
CarolSnowMilne 7 months ago

Awesome Aaron! Congratulations! It is a very cool caterpillar. If it is just in the south, please mail me one. LOL

MayraSpringmann
MayraSpringmann 7 months ago

Wow!
Wonderful!!!!!

Atul
Atul 7 months ago

Congrats Pal :)

NeilDazet
NeilDazet 7 months ago

Congratulations on SOTD and spotting #600 friend! Way to go!!

Chief RedEarth
Chief RedEarth 7 months ago

Congrats Aaron! This beautiful spotting looks like a marine slug.

Noel Buensuceso
Noel Buensuceso 7 months ago

Congrats Aaron!

ja.emmans
ja.emmans 7 months ago

Love the coloursjob

NuwanChathuranga
NuwanChathuranga 7 months ago

Congratulations Aaron !

Adarsha B S
Adarsha B S 7 months ago

Congratz Aaron :)

Sachin Zaveri
Sachin Zaveri 7 months ago

Congratulations Aaron !!!

LeanneGardner
LeanneGardner 7 months ago

Congratulations Aaron!

SatyenM
SatyenM 7 months ago

Beautiful! Congratulations!

Sergio Monteiro
Sergio Monteiro 7 months ago

Congratulations for the SOTD, Aaron, it surely was well deserved.

Hemma
Hemma 7 months ago

congrats!

Yasser
Yasser 7 months ago

Congrats Aaron! This gorgeous caterpillar has earned you Spotting of the Day honors! Thanks for all of your awesome contributions. From spotting awesome species like this one, to helping properly categorizes existing spottings, we really appreciate it.

"The body of the Stinging rose moth caterpillar bears pairs of long, horn-like, bristly spines and clumps of smaller spines which are characteristic of several of the slug caterpillars."

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Aaron_G
Aaron_G 7 months ago

Yes, I'm kind of odd that way. ;-) I honestly didn't feel a thing from this specimen.

Mena, Arkansas, USA

Lat: 34.58, Long: -94.24

Spotted on Oct 11, 2012
Submitted on Oct 13, 2012

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