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Lophocampa mixta
A stunning green and black hairy caterpillar we happened to find while hiking one of the Coronado mountains in southern Arizona. The guy will eventually become a moth (http://bugguide.net/node/view/434172/bgi...), and my next mission would be to find and photograph it!
Found in southeastern Arizona at varying high altitudes, from 5,000 feet to about 8,000.
I have only seen this fuzzy friend, in this color, once, and that would be at about 7,500 - 8,000 feet in altitude through a trail that leads up Mt. Wrightson (little under 10,000 feet) through the Old Baldy Trail. It was around 6 cm in length. What a creature!
6 Comments
Update: Finally IDed thanks to the good folks over at Bug Guide. :)
Hey thanks Goody, that's some good information. :)
Not to worry, Ivan. :-) They have the typical six legs of an insect, and they also have what are known as "prolegs" at the posterior end. Those are lost during pupation.
Through a heavy stroll in Google Images, it looks kind of like a Ctenucha virginica, but I don't think I saw red legs (?) on him. Experts on butterflies must be laughing right now as I don't even know what to call their multiple feet!
Many thanks Bong, and I'm sure the caterpillar is flattered as well. :)
What a beautiful shot Ivan,,excellent capture.