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Photo#574661
Parasitized caterpillar - Euclea delphinii

Parasitized caterpillar - Euclea delphinii
Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio, USA
August 15, 2011
Any idea as to what the caterpillar was? It was sitting on an eastern redbud leaf. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Moved
Moved from Euclea.

Moved

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
I agree that these are microgastrine cocoons.

Slug caterpillar moth
Ken's probably right - A slug caterpillar moth; but what are maybe even more interesting are the multiple cocoons attached to the critter. They've all been vacated. Most likely the caterpillar was attacked by a braconid parasitic wasp in subfamily Microgastrinae, in which in many species the parasitic larvae exit the host to spin their cocoons on the outside of the body. Also, "gregarious parasitism," such as is seen here, is common in some microgastrine genera. Was the caterpillar still alive? If the parasite is a microgastrine, I wouldn't be surprised if there was still a little movement.

Guessing
something like this one:


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