Nature photography

An oak eggar moth caterpillar photographed in England in May

by | Published

A mature caterpillar of the oak eggar moth (Lasiocampa quercus) as found on the ground next to country path in the south of England on 4 May 2022. It has rings of pale hairs and smoother black areas alternating along its body.

The photographs here show a caterpillar photographed in southern England on 4 May 2022. It is hairy, with rings of pale hairs alternating with smoother black bands down the length of its body and orange-brown hairs towards its underside. There are uneven flecks of white, roughly in a line along each side of its body.

This is a mature caterpillar of the oak eggar moth (Lasiocampa quercus). Its looks very different to the younger oak eggar caterpillar photographed in November.

The same oak eggar caterpillar (Lasiocampa quercus) seen from the front, England 4 May 2022.
The oak eggar caterpillar viewed from above, with a centimetre ruler placed on the ground next to it to provide an indication of its size. Southern England, 4 May 2022

Related articles