caterpillar - Lapara bombycoides

Moved

Moved from Lapara.

I can say pretty confidently now that this is L. bombycoides - the black bars on the head not reaching all the way down the "face" is suggestive of L. bombycoides over L. coniferarum.

… Ryan St Laurent, 11 July, 2018 - 4:08pm

Moved

Moved from Sphinx Moths.

Most likely Lapara bombycoides due to location and appearance. L. coniferarum cannot be ruled out based on location alone, as it is known from southern NH. However, unless this was found in an area of abundant pitch pine, as oppose to ubiquitous white pine, it's probably not L. coniferarum.

The best physical character for differentiating the larvae of these two species are the true legs, green in L. bombycoides and orange in L. coniferarum... I can only barely see the true legs on this one. Also, another character that seems to be at least somewhat consistent, is the degree of black on the head. The majority of L. coniferarum, if not all, that I have reviewed have continuous black bands running from the apex of the head to the eyes, while in L. bombycoides the black is only present closer to the apex.

… Ryan St Laurent, 6 October, 2014 - 11:18am

Thanks for the explanation, R

Thanks for the explanation, Ryan. I'm kicking myself because I deleted a few other photos that may have allowed a better look at the true legs. I believe they were green (certainly the one I can see in this picture looks green), and for my purposes I'm calling it L. bombycoides; now that I know what to look for, I'll take a better profile shot next time.

… Patrick Randall, 6 October, 2014 - 6:16pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 6 October, 2014 - 9:30am

Looks like a Northern Pine Sphinx

Southern Pine Sphinx looks similar, but is less likely up in NH.

… tom murray, 6 October, 2014 - 8:35am