Can someone identify this insect?

Limerick_Lass

Not sure if I have the correct forum for this but would anybody be able to tell me what this creature is. Came across him today.

chucken1

I think they are leatherjackets, which are the larvae of crane fly or daddy long legs. The eggs are laid in the grass, larvae hatch underground and feed on the grass roots, probably came out because of the heavy rains last night. Perfectly harmless, just leave them to the birds.

Rubecula

Yes I think they are leatherjackets too.

Birds do eat them and they are an important food supply to insectivores.

If you are not certain what a cranefly is it is that annoying "daddy Long Legs" that always gets in the house when you open the door of an evening late in the summer and flies up and down the window or around the light.

As has been said, they are totally harmless.

aidoh

Wow that's a cool photo. About what size was this?

sineadgalway

its defo not a leatherjacket, those are quite small and look like grubs. I'm pretty sure its the caterpillar of a hawkmoth but there is a nature and birdwatching forum that might be better to post the pic on.

Here's a hawkmoth pic from the web, the markings look like eyes to ward off predators

Limerick_Lass

sineadgalway wrote: »

its defo not a leatherjacket, those are quite small and look like grubs. I'm pretty sure its the caterpillar of a hawkmoth but there is a nature and birdwatching forum that might be better to post the pic on.

Here's a hawkmoth pic from the web, the markings look like eyes to ward off predators

I think you have it Looks pretty similar.

sineadgalway

exactly the species i don't know but i reckon its that family...

Rubecula

My apologies for misleading you with my previous answer. I assumed (wrongly) that it was a lot smaller and the colours of the picture were a bit more than natural.

I bow to the greater knowledge,

What a monster.....:D

Limerick_Lass

sineadgalway wrote: »

exactly the species i don't know but i reckon its that family...

Was told its an elephant hawk moth... apparently turns into a big and rather beautiful moth... hard to believe after seeing it :eek::D

aidoh

Moths terrify me.

Mothman

This thread has just been brought to the attention of the nature forum.

See this post for what this caterpillar turns into early next Summer.
They feed on Rosebay Willowherb and Fuschia. It is a common and widespread species. This is the recorded distribution.
L_Lass, I'd like to enter this in the national database. Would you PM me Location, Grid reference, date. www.gridreference.ie can be used for grid ref

And for a insight into the world of months, no better place to start than the thread that the Elephant Hawk-moth adult is on.

and aidoh, you are certainly not alone in your fear of moths, but most can appreciate the spectacular patterns, colours etc of both adults and caterpillars of the 1000+ species that are out and about the Irish countryside, mainly at night.

aidoh

Ah I like them from far away. Speaking of lepidopterans though, I've noticed (especially today) loads and loads of different types of butterflies out in the garden. All different colours so I'm guessing they're seperate species but they were pretty much the same sizes and they were all very pale.

This was the first one I saw:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA#5503154311879695426

Then this one:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA&pli=1&gsessionid=UhD5GeMJzEzv_urrFkGazw#5503155002725551154
I thought this was the same species as the first one but the wings are slightly diferent shapes and this one has a lovely black outline at the wing tips. Maybe its a sexual difference of the same species? I don't know.


Then a brown one of the same size:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA#5503155967850079842
Here's the same individual but showing cool eyespots on the other side of it's wing:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA#5503159741038548210

There were at least two or three other types too. Pale dreen, pale blue and nice orange ones but I couldn't snap them quick enough. I guess it's probably because it was sunny that there were dozens on the lads fluttering about, heating up. I think that's what these ones were doing when they landed on the bush anyway.

Mothman

aidoh wrote: »

Ah I like them from far away. Speaking of lepidopterans though, I've noticed (especially today) loads and loads of different types of butterflies out in the garden. All different colours so I'm guessing they're seperate species but they were pretty much the same sizes and they were all very pale.

This was the first one I saw:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA#5503154311879695426

Small White, has single spot on forewing

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA&pli=1&gsessionid=UhD5GeMJzEzv_urrFkGazw#5503155002725551154
I thought this was the same species as the first one but the wings are slightly diferent shapes and this one has a lovely black outline at the wing tips. Maybe its a sexual difference of the same species? I don't know.

Large White, has no spot on forewing, both the above are males.

Then a brown one of the same size:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA#5503155967850079842
Here's the same individual but showing cool eyespots on the other side of it's wing:

http://picasaweb.google.com/111974472531988899738/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXrrLDwhYCJNA#5503159741038548210

Meadow Brown

There were at least two or three other types too. Pale dreen, pale blue and nice orange ones but I couldn't snap them quick enough. I guess it's probably because it was sunny that there were dozens on the lads fluttering about, heating up. I think that's what these ones were doing when they landed on the bush anyway.

Pale Green may be Green-veined White, if it had its wings closed, Brimstone can look greenish, blue may be Common Blue if on ground or Holly Blue if up in tree (General rule), orange may be a Small Copper or a type of Fritillary

Rubecula

I had one of these wake me up by flying onto my face a few years ago. Nearly had a heart attack. But lovely little thing. (OK it is not that little)

I may be wrong on the actual species, but this is one of the Death Head hawk moths. Awful name guaranteed to scare folks, but totally harmless.

aidoh

That second one is cool. Is it striped black and yellow to warn predators that its poisonous or did it evolve to look like a fat wasp (bathesian mimicry, or whatever)?
Also is the Death's Head Hawk Moth the one from the cover for silence of the lambs?

Rubecula

Not sure if it is poisonous as I have never eaten one myself:D

I think it was on Silence of the Lambs now you mention it. Never thought of that before.:o

SpandexPudding

Limerick_Lass wrote: »

Not sure if I have the correct forum for this but would anybody be able to tell me what this creature is. Came across him today.

Death Head Moth Caterpillar

I know this is a rather old post, but I been searching for pictures of them to draw and ran across this.