Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Jasand on 17/08/2009 22:48:29

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Jasand on 17/08/2009 22:48:29

Hi Everyone,

Im new here and need help trying to figure out what this is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVWyFVp3PI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVWyFVp3PI)

The youtube player is jumpy i have the original file that is better quality if anyone wants me to email it.

It was taken in Malvern, England, UK yesterday and I have never seen anything like this before. When we touched it, it froze and stayed perfectly still for around 10mins then I got bored and left.

Thank you for your time.

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Variola on 18/08/2009 00:59:01

Hi and welcome to the forum  [:)]

The video is a bit hazy, but best guess so far is a caterpillar, of the hawk moth type.

Did it look like any of these??


http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=hawk%20moth%20caterpillar&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi (http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=hawk%20moth%20caterpillar&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi)

If not, then someone more expert might have a better idea  [:)]

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Don_1 on 18/08/2009 07:19:22

I think you will find this is an Inchworm, the Caterpillar of the Geometer moth. There are few hundred different species of this moth in the UK & well over 1000 in the USA.

They have no legs on the middle sections of the body, just at the front and back. When in motion they look as if they are measuring out 'inch by inch', hence the name Inchworm aka Measuring worm.

I don't know why they got to be called 'worm', they are not a worm, they are a Caterpillar.

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Variola on 18/08/2009 11:12:27

See? Told you someone more expert would come along.....even if it is only Don...  [;D]

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Jasand on 18/08/2009 18:21:40

Thanks for the replies,

Actually a mate found out that it was this http://www.uksafari.com/peppered.htm

very interesting but never seen one before. Thank you for the replies  [;D]

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Don_1 on 19/08/2009 08:44:10

Yes, it could well be, the Peppered Moth is of the Geometer family.

The Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) is a common moth in the UK.

Title: Please can you identify this creature?
Post by: Don_1 on 19/08/2009 09:42:58

Quote from: Variola on 18/08/2009 11:12:27

See? Told you someone more expert would come along.....even if it is only Don...  [;D]

Sometimes you are too kind........ not on this occasion, perhaps, but sometimes.(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fhat%2F2.gif&hash=5db7498771031b4c579b9ef1b59fc4d5)