Spiny Larva of Volucella Hoverfly
e6filmuser
Registered Users Posts: 3,379 Major grins
In late October I had a long session with this larva, with mostly suboptimal results.
It was under a piece of bark on the ground, which I inverted for the photographs. It moved forwards, much like a looper caterpillar, but using the hooks on its everted mouthparts to pull itself to its next resting position. Before moving, it would raise its head and swing it from side to side before moving ahead or to either side. Each such movement took about two seconds, leaving little time to position and focus.
I have been unable to find many images for ifdentification purposes but the larva looks very like those of Volucella zonaria.
All the images have been substantially cropped.
Harold
It was under a piece of bark on the ground, which I inverted for the photographs. It moved forwards, much like a looper caterpillar, but using the hooks on its everted mouthparts to pull itself to its next resting position. Before moving, it would raise its head and swing it from side to side before moving ahead or to either side. Each such movement took about two seconds, leaving little time to position and focus.
I have been unable to find many images for ifdentification purposes but the larva looks very like those of Volucella zonaria.
All the images have been substantially cropped.
Harold
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Brian v.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
Thanks, Brian.
That could be a problem in late October?
I should have said that inflating the bulbous structure behind the hooks is also involved, possibly self-evident from the images.
Harold