Interesting Little Caterpillar and Weather

11 years ago

After seeing that a lot of my purple coneflower leaves, Louisiana variety, had been eaten, I noticed little leaf rolls on the plant. I couldn't resist, so I gently opened one of them from the outer end - obviously! - and nothing was showing up. Then I saw the caterpillar on the other end of the roll, having slipped out!

I made this picture, and as I did so, the cat was backing back into the roll. I thumbed through endless pages of pictures in my two David Wagner books and couldn't find a match. Anybody know what this cat is?

By the way, it's been very cool and windy for the past few days. We're supposed to get record low temps tonight, probably about 42 degrees. I've seen where there's snow in the Northeastern U.S. This summer, when I'm complaining about the heat and humidity, I can be thankful at least down here the late cold fronts aren't freezes that might destroy much of a garden! My condolences to you up north who are dealing with this late cold weather after the warm March!

Sherry

Comments (2)

susanlynne48
11 years ago
That's a hairy looking coneflower leaf, MissSherry! I kinda did a cursory search for leafrolling caterpilllars, but moths are such generalists that I didn't get very far. Do you have any good moth databases for Mississippi?

I saw the snow on the news up in I think it was Minnesota or Michigan. Brrr........no I am happily warm in Oklahoma. We had some cool nights - mid-40s or so, but the day time temps went right back up into the 70s, so no problems.

I don't know if those cold temps up North have stalled out some of the butterflies migration up there, but I am enjoying what I have right now.

Susan
MissSherry
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, Susan, as soon as I looked at the picture, I was surprised at how hairy the leaves of the coneflower are. I don't know if just the Louisiana variety is hairy or if all Echinaceas are that way.

It got down into the 40's last night, but it's not supposed to be so cold tonight.

The NABA database for MS, as I recall, doesn't even have all the types of moths that are in my books, so I doubt I'll be able to ID it from there. It'll probably make some plain little brown moth.

Sherry
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