Unidentified caterpillar

[jetsky82]

Anyone know what this is? I found it under a tree stump today while cutting wood and I want to know if I should feed it to my mantis right away, or see what it turns out to be after metamorphosis and feed it to her then.

Any votes? It looks like a juicy caterpillar or larvae now, but it could be some delicacy later on.

ps. if it helps, it's in the northeast usa.

pps. I found some sort of large, queen ant like thing too. It was as big as my L3 mantis, but what a meal that would have been for her if only I could get it before it got away.

 

[Ignaz]

I would have to say it is a type of cutworm. Here is a little information about them.

http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/cutworms.html

There are also a few sphinx moths who's caterpillars resemble this but are usually 2 inches buy the time theytake on this sort of coloration.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yeah, I think that it is a cutworm; it lacks the perky tail and stripes of sphinx math caterpillars. As a matter of interest, does it curl up when you touch it? The only problem, if it is not ready to pupate,is what to feed it. It might have crawled under the stump to pupate, but it also might feed on decaying wood (not all cutworms cut down a plant for food), so put it in a large container with enough substrate for it to bury itself and some decaying wood if there was some in or around the stump. Most of these caterpillars turn into pretty boring moths, so it will probably be grateful to serve as mantis food.If you feed it as a caterpillar, you will get caterpillar blood splashed everywhere, so would go for the pupation option.

 

[jetsky82]

Thanks for the help guys, it's definitely a cutworm. I like your idea philinyuma, I think a moth or something like that would be better than a caterpillar for food, especially since the 'pillar doesn't move fast enough to make these mantises excited.

Yeah, I think that it is a cutworm; it lacks the perky tail and stripes of sphinx math caterpillars. As a matter of interest, does it curl up when you touch it? The only problem, if it is not ready to pupate,is what to feed it. It might have crawled under the stump to pupate, but it also might feed on decaying wood (not all cutworms cut down a plant for food), so put it in a large container with enough substrate for it to bury itself and some decaying wood if there was some in or around the stump. Most of these caterpillars turn into pretty boring moths, so it will probably be grateful to serve as mantis food.If you feed it as a caterpillar, you will get caterpillar blood splashed everywhere, so would go for the pupation option.