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On Anthriscus sylvestris, W side Blue Hills Parkway N of Pine Tree Brook, Milton, MA 6/2/24

On Anthriscus sylvestris, W side Blue Hills Parkway N of Pine Tree Brook, Milton, MA 6/2/24

On Anthriscus sylvestris, W side Blue Hills Parkway N of Pine Tree Brook, Milton, MA 6/2/24

On Anthriscus sylvestris, W side Blue Hills Parkway N of Pine Tree Brook, Milton, MA 6/2/24

Geometridae: Ennominae: Bistonini

Geometridae: Ennominae: Bistonini

Geometridae: Ennominae: Bistonini

Geometridae: Ennominae: Bistonini

This one, climbing into focus is a mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria) caterpillar moving in the characteristic way that geometrid moth caterpillars do. In Swedish, geometrid moths are known as "mätare" which means "measurer" because the caterpillars kind of look like they are measuring out steps.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52670787051/

Do you see that white pill behind the head on this mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria) caterpillar?

That's an egg which I believe came from a parasitic fly (Tachinidae sp.). When it hatches, the fly larvae will begin parasitizing on the host and eventually kill it.

Looking at the scientific name of this species, defoliaria, it's not hard to understand what would happen to the trees if parasitic flies and wasps like this didn't help keep the number of caterpillars in check (ie defoliated).

Technically, this shot is a panorama. Since I wasn't able to hold the camera and twig with the caterpillar steady enough, the shot with its head in focus was a bit high and cut of the lowest part of its body. But since I had another shot with that part in frame, I managed to combine the two in Photoshop and end up with a shot of the entire caterpillar.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50638648881/

If you read my photo desctiptions, you have probably noticed that I like to compare Swedish and English common names for inverts and here we have an interesting pair.

In English, this is a brindled beauty (Lycia hirtaria) where "brindled" refers to the diffusely stripey colouration.

In Swedish it's more about texture and season with "lurvig vintermätare" where "lurvig" actually means shaggy, "vinter" is winter and "mätare" is what we call all geometrid moths and means measurer because of the way the larvae move. The family name "Geometridae" literally means measuring the earth, btw.

This is a male "shaggy winter measurer" then and he has very nice antennae, but in part 1 he was sleeping and had those tucked away here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/46965721274/

A mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria) caterpillar moving in the characteristic way that geometrid moth caterpillars do. In Swedish, geometrid moths are known as "mätare" which means "measurer" because the caterpillars kind of look like they are measuring out steps.

This very triangular moth on my fingers is a mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria).

Like so many other moths I've shot, I found this one sleeping outside my front door in the morning when I got home from work.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52202591306/

Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52219024972/

For a shot of what the caterpillar looks like, please have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50638648881/

This very triangular moth on my fingers is a mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria).

Like so many other moths I've shot, I found this one sleeping outside my front door in the morning when I got home from work.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52202591306/

For a shot of what the caterpillar looks like, please have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50638648881/

This very triangular moth on my fingers is a mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria).

Like so many other moths I've shot, I found this one sleeping outside my front door in the morning when I got home from work.

For a shot of what the caterpillar looks like, please have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50638648881/

This caterpillar on a very sorry-looking leaf is a mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria). As an adult, it will look like this: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51121315388/

For a photo of the adult (male), have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51121315388/

The brindled beauty (Lycia hirtaria), like this male, is a moth which is pretty well prepared for flying when the weather is cold with a quite heavy coat of fur. Even the bases of the antennae are furry!

This one was, like so many other moths, hanging out just outside my front door (in early March!) which really is a treat. Having the motive come to you sure makes this easier.

From this angle, the huge humpback on these guys is quite apparent and somehow I managed to capture a little eye detail here as well. Go me.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51557065281/

This geometrid moth caterpillar which decided to double back is a scarce umber (Agriopis aurantiaria).

Looking at the side of it, we can see that this one will end it's days prematurely as some sort of parasite has laid a cluster of green eggs directly on the caterpillar and when they hatch they will become the death of it.

For the scarce umber, this is obviously a horrific fate, but if you asked the tree whose leaves this caterpillar and its brethren devour at a rapid pace, I suspect we would get a somewhat different answer.

Another shot of the same caterpillar here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50062268931/

And a portrait shot of it with an aphid on its face here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/50405456481/