Black Caterpillar - Chlosyne nycteis - BugGuide.Net

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Photo#561380

Copyright © 2011 Nancy Kent

Black Caterpillar - Chlosyne nycteis

Radford, Virginia, USA
August 11, 2011

I'd like an ID, if possible. I just realized that I failed to take a good look at its host plant. I think that it was some sort of sunflower.

Contributed by Nancy Kent on 11 August, 2011 - 8:14pm
Last updated 6 September, 2011 - 3:55pm

Moved

Moved from Butterflies (excluding skippers).

… David J. Ferguson, 6 September, 2011 - 3:55pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 3 September, 2011 - 2:46pm

To me it looks most like a Red Admiral

Vanessa atalanta, which would most likely be found on Nettle. Though it also looks similar to a dark caterpillar of a Silvery Checkerspot - Chlosyne nycteis, which feeds on plants related to Sunflowers.

… David J. Ferguson, 11 August, 2011 - 11:27pm

It definitely was not on nettle

So perhaps it is a checkerspot and it was small - about 30-35 mm. We have an abundance of those butterflies in our small park. Thanks, David!

… Nancy Kent, 12 August, 2011 - 6:52am

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