Unidentified caterpillar help

Bogwoppit · 07-09-2020 8:53pm #1

Found these guys on one of my hazel saplings this evening, looks a bit like the box moth caterpillar but I don’t think it’s it, any ideas?

Alun · 07-09-2020 9:01pm

I think they're sawfly larvae, not butterfly or moth caterpillars. There's one that specifically targets hazel called, rather predictably!, the hazel sawfly ...

https://melickblog.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/hazel-sawfly/

If there are enough of them, you may not have any hazel saplings left before long

axe2grind · 07-09-2020 9:02pm

Larvae of a Sawfly, don't know which species. I have seen similar looking on Birch, but I think they may be foodplant specific, so may not be same species.

Bogwoppit · 07-09-2020 9:03pm

That’s it, well done! Thanks very much

axe2grind · 07-09-2020 9:06pm

Alun wrote: »

I think they're sawfly larvae, not butterfly or moth caterpillars. There's one that specifically targets hazel called, rather predictably!, the hazel sawfly ...

https://melickblog.wordpress.com/2017/08/02/hazel-sawfly/

If there are enough of them, you may not have any hazel saplings left before long

That link mentions birch as a foodplant as well.

Bogwoppit · 07-09-2020 9:10pm

They’ve made a good meal of that sapling but looks like the damage is only temporary from what I’ve read, I’ll leave them alone.

Unidentified caterpillar help

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