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larose forest photos | all galleries >> INSECTS (INSECTA) (28 Galleries) >> Moth Caterpillars >> Slug Moth Caterpillars (Family: Limacodidae) 4653 - 4665 > Parasitized slug moth caterpillar
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06-SEP-2015 Christine Hanrahan

Parasitized slug moth caterpillar

Westport area

This caterpillar is in poor shape, but I think it is the Yellow-shouldered Slug Moth caterpillar. You can see the white eggs of a Tachinid fly. The black dots may be the breathing holes or as Charley Eiseman notes, "respiratory funnels" which enable the larva of the parasite to get oxygen! The poor caterpillar.

Panasonic LUMIX FZ200
1/2000s f/2.8 at 8.4mm iso125 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Jim Coffman18-Sep-2015 12:33
Even the miniature world can be very cruel..
Hank Vander Velde18-Sep-2015 11:38
Excellent find, image and info Christine.
Graeme18-Sep-2015 11:37
Excellent light and detail, Christine.V
Helen Betts18-Sep-2015 11:19
Not so attractive, but interesting all the same. I do feel sorry for it being parasitized like that... V.
Yvonne18-Sep-2015 10:39
A similar thing happens to aphids on my roses when a predatory wasp lays eggs into their body. v
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