black caterpillars with orange spines in clusters in protected creek habitat - Hemileuca

Moved

… Ryan St Laurent, 22 April, 2012 - 5:54am

Hemileucini

early instar Hemileuca, I think. Dont touch them they sting, the moths are beautiful. here is a later instar of similar ones

… Edna Woodward, 21 April, 2012 - 3:22pm

Wow, I was googling on what y

Wow, I was googling on what you said and got this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kecBwpNT9sI for them molting. Do you know a site where I can see images of all the instar development of the nevada buckmoth? Thank you for the information.

I've been befuddled for a while by a number of very similar but different caterpillars around here that seemed to be permutations of nevada buck moth. Are they different instar phases?
Here, see, I've grabbed these different pics:

nasty stinging fuzzy caterpillar by the San Diego river - Nevada Buck Moth (Hemileuca nevadensis)

stinging fuzzy caterpillars - Nevada Buck Moth (Hemileuca nevadensis)?

Nevada Buck Moth (Hemileuca nevadensis)?

and last these which I'd thought were Salt Marsh Caterpillars, but are they another instar of the buck moth?

… Stephanie MB, 21 April, 2012 - 3:47pm

the last two are tiger moths..

yes i think i do know a site..well i know how to get to one
try this:http://lepidoptera.jcmdi.com/

… Edna Woodward, 21 April, 2012 - 4:25pm

I'll research the matter, wil

I'll research the matter, will come across it in time. Thanks again for the info about instar development changing how caterpillars look, I appreciate it.

… Stephanie MB, 21 April, 2012 - 5:51pm

if you look at this group in the guide most

start out black and then change with each molt. my daughter is in san deigo and when i next go visit i will have to hit that creek area..i would love to see some of these, and she lived in santee when they first got stationed there..so i have a good idea where it is..info for info

… Edna Woodward, 22 April, 2012 - 10:57am

You'll see plenty by the rive

You'll see plenty by the river and creeks in Santee. There are a lot of Nevada buck moths here. The last few years they've been super abundant, currently the most common caterpillar in the area. For about a week we get large clouds of buck moths near the river and along the creek area. Here's a video I shot of the moths mating http://www.flickr.com/photos/29075232@N03/6335220365/

You'll find them at the willows all along the river, you have to be careful not to accidentally brush them and get stung on the river trails by Walmart pond between Cuyamaca Street and Mast Park (like I got stung), and the creek runs from where it was converted back from concrete to natural the other year at Mast Blvd along to behind the YMCA and the sports complex to the river. They're everywhere, can't miss them.

Guess that's a project. Next spring I'll grab some of them March/April and put them in a spare aquarium with their food in the backyard, and shoot images of their changes. Figure out what they are that way. Did the same for minnows, to ID. Just kept them in a tank until I could tell what they were becoming.

… Stephanie MB, 22 April, 2012 - 11:53am