Comments on: Ctenucha virginica caterpillar

By: Bernard L Schwartz

Bernard L Schwartz — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:15:06 +0000

I am writing a book and need a photograph of a Ctenucha virginica caterpillar. Can I use you photo

By: Tim Eisele

Tim Eisele — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:00:03 +0000

Bonnie: you are welcome. Incidentally, the vast majority of insects are not pests, and in general any wooly caterpillars that are found crawling around (like this one) are most likely to be one of the many species of tiger moths (which mostly eat things like grass and lichen). There are a few pest caterpillars with hair (like tent caterpillars and tussock moths), but they are generally not nearly as fuzzy as this.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:00:30 +0000

Thank-you for confirming this ctenucha virginica is not considered a pest. Everyone wanted us to kill it like cut worms or tent caterpillars. It was ready to pupate as soon as we found it and I was worried it was dying since it lost all of its fur-we found it forming a cocoon with it and now we’re waiting to see it emerge. Thanks to you we know what to expect and when to expect it to happen.

By: Paul Gregory

Paul Gregory — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:54:42 +0000

The C is silent so the name is pronounced as “Tea nucha”

By: Tim Eisele

Tim Eisele — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:06:34 +0000

Thanks! This fellow gave me a surprising amount of trouble while photographing (between the curling up, the high contrast, and the depth-of-field problems), it’s good to see that it wasn’t for nothing.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:05:55 +0000

What a great looking caterpillar!

By: Dammit Woman

Dammit Woman — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:11:16 +0000

WOW! Beautiful pix. Thanks for sharing.

By: K T Cat

K T Cat — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:02:17 +0000

My word, chomping down on that would be like eating a toilet brush.

As usual, breathtaking photography and enlightening prose. Thanks!