Strip Pattern indra swallowtail first instar

Papilio indra calcicola first instar caterpillars chew marks on host Lomatium scabrum.  Young instar caterpillars of the indra swallwtail rest up-side-down on the stalks of the plant that generally point away from the main plant.

Strip Pattern indra swallowtail

Papilio indra indra second instar strip pattern against host Lomatium graveolens.

Late instar strip patterns indra swallowtail

Termed "caterpickling" by Wayne Whaley, this shows the unique larval feeding damage of late instar indra swallowtail caterpillars on host Cymopterus terebinthinus.

Late Instar Strip Pattern Pontia beckeri

Fourth or fifth instar caterpillars of many mustard-feeding pierids will strip the flowers; leaving a noticeable stub.  This is a becker's white (Pontia beckeri) caterpillar stripping down Stanleya pinnata.  When looking for caterpillars, this strip pattern can be quite conspicuous.

Late Instar Strip Pattern Pontia sisymbri

Fifth instar Pontia sisymbri strips host Descurainia pinnata (pinnate tansymustard) leaving more or less a "stub" where the flowers and siliques once were.

Late Instar Strip Pattern Anthocharis thoosa

Fourth instar Anthocharis thoosa thoosa strips host Descurainia pinnata (pinnate tansymustard) leaving more or less a "stub" where the flowers and siliques once were.

Late Instar Strip Patterns Hoary comma

Late instar caterpillars of Polygonia gracilis zephyrus will strip down the leaves toward the branch ends in a peculiar fashion of currants such as Ribes montigenum and Ribes cereum.

Late Instar Strip Patterns Hoary comma

Similar to previous slide.

Late Instar Strip Patterns Hoary comma

Late instar larval feeding damage of Polygonia gracilis zephyrus on Ribes cereum.

Leaf Skeletonizing crocale patch

Young third instar larvae of the crocale patch (Chlosyne lacinia crocale) chew on its host plant Helianthus annus, in such a way as to skeletonize the leaf.

Leaf Skeletonizing Mylitta crescent caterpillars

Phyciodes mylitta mylitta third instar caterpillars skeletonizing the leaves of host Cirsium vulgare.  If you look closely on thistles in a population where the butterfly flies, look for this visual queue on the central/lower leaves.  You may find gregarious Phyciodes mylitta mylitta caterpillars.

Leaf Skeletonizing Fifth instar mylitta crescent

Phyciodes mylitta mylitta fifth instar caterpillar skeletonizing the leaf of host Cirsium vulgare.

Leaf Skeltonizing queen alexandra's sulfur on milkvetch

This is a Colias alexandra alexandra first instar caterpillar skeletonizing Astragalus beckwithii (milkvetch.)

Leaf Skeletonizing Callophrys sheridani comstocki

While looking for young instar caterpillars of Callophrys sheridani comstocki, it is possible to locate their feeding damage pattern (skeletonizing of the leaf) on host Eriogonum corymbosum.

Leaf Skeletonizing sheridan's hairstreak

The skeletonizing of the leaf of Callophrys sheridani neoperplexa is obviously similar to those of Callophrys sheridani comstocki (previous slide).

Leaf Skeletonizing Two-banded Checkered Skipper

Pyrgus ruralis young instar caterpillar skeletonizes its host plant Fragaria vesca (woodland strawberry).  As the caterpillar grows, it also rolls the leaves together to build a skipper nest.

Caterpillar Burrow monarch caterpillar

This is a monarch first instar caterpillar who has burrowed a whole out of its host plant milkweed (Asclepias speciosa).  In some regions of the country, it becomes very helpful to understand the visual differences between monarch caterpillar feeding damage and milkweed bugs feeding damage.  Milkweed bugs generally start at the tip of the milkweed; whereas young monarch caterpillars start skeletonizing and burrowing in the center part of the ventral side of the leaf.

Caterpillar Burrow Cabbage white

Young instar caterpillars of Pieris rapae will burrow holes into their host plants.  In this case the host is Cardaria draba (white top).

Zig zag chew mark Lerodea eufala

Some hesperine (grass-feeding) skippers and skipperlings create an odd zig zag chewmark feeding pattern on the grass blades.  The species that I have noticed do this are Copaeodes aurantiacus, Oarisima garita, Thymelicus linneola, and Lerodea eufala. Undoubtedly, many other hesperine skipper caterpillars will show a similar feed pattern and can be located easier.  (Thanks go to Jim Brock for pointing this out to me.)

Zig zag chew mark Oarisima garita

Garita skipperling caterpillar showing the zig zag chewmark pattern.

Zig zag chew mark Thymelicus lineola

Zig zag chewmarks of the european skipperling (Thymelicus lineola).

Zig zag chew mark European Skipperling

Zig zag chewmarks of the european skipper (Thymelicus lineola).

Zig zag chew mark European Skipperling

Zig zag chewmarks of the european skipper (Thymelicus lineola).

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