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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » parasitic Apocrita » Chalcid Wasps (Chalcidoidea) » Eulophidae » Euplectrus
Photo#330026
Mystery Caterpillar? - Euplectrus
Copyright © 2009 Jon Hart

Mystery Caterpillar? - Euplectrus
Montrose, Laurens County, Georgia, USA
August 28, 2009
Size: >20mm
I have no idea what this is, obviously. I took the pic in the early morning. The subject was not moving laterally, but did lift its head and rear. I have never seen its like and would appreciate any reference material regarding it. Are those really its feet under the main body?

Images of this individual: tag all
Mystery Caterpillar? - Euplectrus Mystery Caterpillar? - Euplectrus
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Contributed by Jon Hart on 7 September, 2009 - 2:23pm
Last updated 24 September, 2009 - 4:50pm

Moved
Moved from Butterflies and Moths to Euplectrus. I don't think the caterpillar is identifiable, but the photos are worth keeping as an illustration of what the parasitoid does.
… Charley Eiseman, 24 September, 2009 - 4:50pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… v belov, 24 September, 2009 - 8:53am login or register to post comments

Caterpillar
I'm not sure about the caterpillar, although it looks like it may be a geometrid. Under it are the pupae (or prepupae) and loose cocoons of at least three parasitoid wasps (Eulophidae: Euplectrus), which have sucked the caterpillar dry. Here is another example:

Click the thumbnail to see a nice series of images showing the life cycle of these wasps.
… Charley Eiseman, 7 September, 2009 - 2:53pm login or register to post comments

 
Mystery Caterpillar
Thank you, Charley. All is now clear to me. I can't be very bright not coming up with the idea myself since there are abundant instances around here of parasitized caterpillars, particularly among the catalpa worms. Most I have seen have the cocoons on the backs rather than the undersides and others are kinda on the sides. Ya learn something new everyday.
… Jon Hart, 7 September, 2009 - 4:20pm login or register to post comments

 
I found....
one of these caterpillars in a similar situation the other day. I thought it had been attacked by a fungus. It was just a dessicated carcass stuck to a leaf.
… Scott Justis, 7 September, 2009 - 3:00pm login or register to post comments

 
Fungus-like cocoons
Several of us were scratching our heads about whether this one

was attacked by fungus or wasps, but I eventually decided it had to be Euplectrus.
… Charley Eiseman, 7 September, 2009 - 3:11pm login or register to post comments

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