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Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: <section class="video"><iframe width="448" height="282" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/YZjyby5qSLU?hd=1&autoplay=0&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></section><br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html" title="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/171244_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=Rf%2Fib6lUTwSm5UY6QEYrvTDelIk%3D" width="200" height="146" alt="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html" title="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/171243_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=4CLyypw78Gbk3wfe%2FvloI6OK%2Bfk%3D" width="200" height="144" alt="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia,Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States,caterpillar,larva,parasitized caterpillar,parasitoid,tachinid eggs,tachinidae" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html" title="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/171245_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=ZTlp0JbBDHmieBjLHItki4jt5b4%3D" width="200" height="140" alt="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html" title="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/171242_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=Ec0dAgVkf5qQ0vFcn5zrSgaAtdE%3D" width="200" height="144" alt="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,United States" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html" title="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea (Parasitized Cadaver)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/171246_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=brDQ%2BtdCvtG1%2Fis5jFNEWjnEzco%3D" width="200" height="152" alt="Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea (Parasitized Cadaver) Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States" /></a></figure> Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea

Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.

Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole:



Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States

Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia,Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States,caterpillar,larva,parasitized caterpillar,parasitoid,tachinid eggs,tachinidae

Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States

Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,United States

Saddleback Caterpillar - Acharia stimulea (Parasitized Cadaver) Parasitized caterpillars. There were at least 10 caterpillars on this bush. Some were dead with just their shriveled cadavers left, while many had white eggs on them. One had 2 eggs on one of its tubercles AND a hole near the saddle with something moving inside. I suspect the eggs are tachinid eggs. Also, the creature in the hole could be a tachinid larva that hatched and burrowed into the caterpillar. The caterpillar is still alive and I am rearing it to find out what the parasitoids are.<br /> <br /> Video that shows movement (slight) in the hole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZjyby5qSLU<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171244/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171243/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171245/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171242/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/171246/saddleback_caterpillar_-_acharia_stimulea_parasitized_cadaver.html Acharia stimulea,Geotagged,Saddleback Caterpillar,Summer,United States

    comments (2)

  1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
    Ferdy Christant
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Makes me think that the defensive attributes of a caterpillar like this are against birds, but no meaningful defense against parasites? Posted yesterday
    1. View Christine Young's profile
      Christine Young
      Lion
      View Lion class
      I wondered about that too. Imagine the fly gingerly trying to lay those eggs among all those spines. And, the spines definitely hurt. I was flipping leaves, looking for bugs when spotting these caterpillars. My finger brushed against one of them as I was flipping the leaf. I didn't know the caterpillar was there and felt the sting immediately. Luckily, I live in Connecticut and not the rainforest, where such a mistake could kill me. Posted 7 hrs ago

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The Saddleback Caterpillar

The saddleback caterpillar, ''Acharia stimulea'' , is the larva of a species of moth native to eastern North America. The species belongs to the family of slug caterpillars, Limacodidae.

Info 26 0
Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
Species identified by Christine Young
View Christine Young's profile

By Christine Young

Attribution Non-Commercial
Uploaded Sep 6, 2025. Captured Sep 1, 2025 07:46 in 91 Main St, Sharon, CT 06069, USA.
country flag of United States of America Explore United States of America 39,950 9,642 8
  • Canon EOS 90D
  • f/11.0
  • 1/64s
  • ISO400
  • 100mm
Captured in the summer. More summer photos.

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