Orange and Black Striped Caterpillars

There are a couple of orange and black striped caterpillars that you will commonly encounter in the Loire Valley in the summer. The French for caterpillar is chenille.

Cinnabar Moth caterpillars
Tyria jacobaeae
Goutte-de-sang (= 'drop of blood')
The species is found all over France, but is particularly abundant in the north-western quarter of France. Nearly always when you see the caterpillar it will be on ragworts Jacobaea spp (Fr. Seneçons), and you rarely see just one, but usually small groups of them, often near the top of the plant. They have the disconcerting habit of twitching and waving their heads when disturbed. This is presumably a defence mechanism, to remind you that they are toxic, due to the plant toxins they've consumed in eating the host plant. They can be found anywhere there is ragwort -- dry grasslands, scrub, domestic and public urban gardens, roadsides and railway tracks. There are some concerns that the species is declining because its host plant ragwort is commonly destroyed as a toxic weed.

Cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae caterpillars on Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris. Photographed July 2020 in my orchard, Indre et Loire.

Fox moth
Macrothylacia rubi
Bombyx de la Ronce (= 'bramble silkworm moth')
Another very abundant species in the Loire Valley. The caterpillars change appearance several times as they grow, but in their middle stage they are black and velvety, with fine orange stripes. They are often encountered alone, and crossing a bitumen road. They are particularly abundant in the Paris Basin and central lowland France, but can be found throughout France. They are not very fussy about habitat, being found on land dominated by herbaceous (non-grass) species, lichens or mosses; woodland edges and clearings dominated by tall herbaceous (non-grass) species; alpine and sub-alpine grasslands; hot grasslands; wet or seasonally wet grasslands; heaths; open woodland; hedgerows; and open unwooded grasslands. The caterpillars eat all sorts of low growing plants such as brambles, heather and other low shrubs.

Fox moth Macrothylacia rubi caterpillar. Photographed July 2020 in my driveway.

Fox moth Macrothylacia rubi caterpillar. Photographed in a garden in a rural hamlet.

Newly hatched Fox Moth Macrothylacia rubi caterpillars in a fallow strip on an organic farm. Photo taken July 2019 at La Petite Rabaudière, the organic market garden on the outskirts of Preuilly sur Claise.

Female Fox moth Macrothylacia rubi laying her eggs on the front door of a cottage in a rural hamlet. Photo taken May 2010 in Roux.

Tiger Moths - Arctiidae

Tiger moths are fat rounded looking moths, usually hairy and poisonous. The bright bold colours on the underwings are an indication to birds that they are unpalatable. The more sombre colours on the forewings are no less striking, forming variable and cryptic camouflage patterns. By night they warn off bats by emitting a barrage of ultrasound which either confuses the bats so they retreat or indicates that the moth is an undesirable target. The larvae are very hairy, but should not be confused with the irritant Pine Processionary caterpillars. Tiger moth caterpillars do not live communally and do not form long lines of nose-to-tail caterpillars. Tiger moth caterpillars are encountered individually, usually in long grass with lots of weeds.

Garden Tiger Arctia caja
The brown and white pattern on the forewings and the black spots on an orange background on the underwings are very variable. Occasionally the forewing has no white and the underwing is yellow. Adult moths can be seen June-August. Larvae are very commonly encountered crossing paths and tracks in the spring. They are probably the hairiest caterpillar you will ever encounter, with tawny hair below and forming a collar, and black with white dots covered in long pale hair on the back. There is a very good post on Aigronne Valley Wildlife, who have been moth trapping in the next valley to us, showing how variable the Garden Tiger can be. Also covers French name and habitat.

Photograhed by Loire Valley Nature:
Photographs numbered from left to right and top to bottom. 1-4 Garden Tiger caterpillars photographed in a vineyard near Saint-Aignan (strictly speaking just outside the area covered by this blog because it is in 41, but still in the Touraine) April.






















Jersey Tiger Euplagia quadripunctaria: Adults active from June to September in dry open woodland and scrub. Both day and night flying.

A female Jersey Tiger. This specimen is deformed, possibly the result of some trauma in the cocoon, or immediately after emerging.

A female Jersey Tiger. This specimen is deformed, possibly the result of some trauma in the cocoon, or immediately after emerging.

Jersey Tiger, nectaring on Wild Oregano Origanum vulgare and showing its underside.

Eggar Moths - Lasiocampidae

Eggar moths Lasiocampidae are fat bodied brown moths with large hairy caterpillars. Be a little careful of the caterpillars as the hairs are slightly irritant (but nowhere near as serious a problem as the Pine Processionary Thaumetopoea pityocampa).

Lackey Malacosoma neustria:
The moth is pale buff to brick red and active June to August in woods, hedges, gardens and orchards. It can sometimes be found in the streets of towns and villages. Caterpillars live in Hawthorns Crataegus spp, Blackthorn Prunus spinosa and other trees. It is less hairy than other Eggar caterpillars, but more brightly coloured as a warning to predators. The species is widespread and common. Below, a mature caterpillar in the Brenne, May.















Fox Moth Macrothylacia rubi
Females are pale grey brown. Adults active May to July. Found in heathland, open woods and hedges. Larvae velvet black with orange bands, feeding on bramble, heather and other low shrubs.

Fox Moth caterpillar in a garden near Bossay sur Claise.

Rural Tracks

Throughout France there is a network of variously named public rights of way. One of the most frequently encountered by walkers is the chemin rural (plural chemins ruraux). These are (usually) unpaved tracks owned and maintained by the local commune. They are almost always ancient laneways, winding through farms and today used by walkers, horse riders, hunters and farmers. Sometimes they are unmarked, but usually they have a small sign at either end with the letter R, C or V and an a number to identify them. They also frequently have the standardised walking trail symbols posted along them and appear on maps as part of the national hiking trail (randonnée) network. Even when they appear to be private farm tracks, the public is permitted to walk them. Walking them in all seasons is a great way to get to know the wildlife of this area, as they are usually long thin grasslands bordered by hedges, woodland or agricultural land, and sometimes even aquatic habitats such as streams, ditches, springs and ponds. You are unlikely to meet another person on most of them.

A chemin rural near Yzeures sur Creuse, October.

A chemin rural near Yzeures sur Creuse, October.

A notice issued by the local authority who has responsibility for maintaining this chemin rural, stapled to a trackside tree. It says that motorised vehicles are not permitted on this track between October and May ie the months when it is likely to be wet. The commune very sensibly does not want the track churned up and ruined by hunters' vans or farm machinery.

Bird watching in the Brenne down a track near la Maison du Parc.

Bird watching in the Brenne, near l'Etang vieux. This track had a sign temporarily banning agricultural vehicles because it was flooded, however that didn't stop anyone on foot who was prepared to take off their boots and slosh.

The sign on this track in the Brenne says 'Attention. Track under repair. Do not tow vehicles down it.' There was no problem (apart from ankle deep water) in walking down it.

A track through the bocage country along the River Vienne near Chinon.

A track through arable crop land and forest. This is one of my butterfly transects.

Small Elephant Hawk Moth Deilephila porcellus

Scientific Name: Deilephila porcellus (Sphingidae).

English Name: Small Elephant Hawk Moth (Hawk moth family).

French Name: Petit sphinx de la vigne (='small vine sphinx'); Petit pourceau (='little hog').

5 Key Characters:

• medium-large (wingspan 40 - 50 mm).
• bright yellow ochre and Barbie pink.
•  

Lookalikes: Elephant Hawk Moth Deilephila elpenor, which is larger and not as brightly coloured (more greeny brown and pink).

Habitat: Heaths and dry grassy meadows on chalk.

Flight Period: May-June-July-August-September.

Caterpillar: Grey-brown, no horn at the rear (has a pair of 'warts'). Larval food plants Bedstraws Galium spp, Willow-herbs Epilobium spp, Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria and Grape Vine Vitis vinifera. It is the caterpillars that give the species its names. It looks like an elephant, or a pig, depending on your inclination/linguistic background.


Status: Locally common, widely distributed in the Touraine and Berry.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Hummingbird Hawk Moth - Macroglossum stellatarum

Scientific Name: Macroglossum stellatarum (Sphingidae).


English Name: Hummingbird Hawk Moth (Hawk moth family).


French Name: Le Moro sphinx.

5 Key Characters:

• Day flying.
• Most often observed flitting from flower to flower and hovering in front of flowers like a humming bird.
• The wings make an audible hum.
• Dull mottled brown upper wings, strong ochre hind wings and a black and white checkerboard patterned tail.
• Feeds by sucking nectar from flowers using long hinged proboscis while on the wing.
  

Lookalikes: Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth Hemaris fuciformis, which has clear wings and a rust and golden body. Lime Hawk Moth Mimas tilae, which has ragged wing edges, a more camouflaged pattern, and does not feed (has no mouthparts including no proboscis).

Habitat: Gardens.


Flight Period: All year.

Caterpillar: Green or brown, typical hawk moth caterpillar, with a spike at the rear. Food plant is bedstraws Gallium spp.

Status: Common.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Nectaring on Buddleia davidii.

Nectaring on Buddleia davidii.

Nectaring on Buddleia davidii.

Nectaring on Buddleia davidii.

Nectaring on Fragrant Orchid Gymnodenia conopsea.

Nectaring on Fragrant Orchid Gymnodenia conopsea.

Broad-Bordered Bee Hawk Moth Hemaris fuciformis

Scientific Name: Hemaris fuciformis. (Sphingidae).

English Name: Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth (Hawk moth family).


French Name: Le Sphinx gazé (='the gauze sphinx')

5 Key Characters:

• day flying.
• resembles a hyperactive bumble bee, with fast and darting flight.
• the wings are transparent (completely clear and see through) except for the eponymous broad brown borders and the veins.
• feeds while hovering.
• body tawny golden with a broad rust brown band.

Lookalikes: Hummingbird Hawk Moth Macroglossum stellatarum, which does not have clear wings. Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk Moth H. tityus, which has narrower borders on the wings (unsurprisingly) and a less defined dark band on the abdomen.

Habitat: Woodland clearings and fringes, gardens. Attracted to Bugle Ajuga reptans flowers.


Flight Period: April-May-June-July.

Caterpillars: Typical hawk moth, large, green with rows of pinkish spots and a pair of fine yellow lengthwise stripes with a pink spine at the tail end. Host plants are bedstraws Galium spp and honeysuckles Lonicera spp.

Status: Not uncommon but never abundant.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on lavender.

Nectaring on Common Knapweed Centaurea jacea.

Nectaring on Verbena bonariensis in a friend's garden near Le Grand Pressigny.

Owlet Moths - Noctuidae

Owlet moths Noctuidae are the largest moth family, robust and usually with dull, dark and / or cryptically (camouflage) patterned top wings and often brightly coloured underwings. They can be confused with Prominent moths Notodontidae. Their forewings often have 3 obvious spots on the forewing - roundish near the mid-point, as well as a kidney shaped mark and a more elongated mark. The wings are held over the body at rest like a pitched roof, or flat and overlapping. The caterpillars are somewhat plump and rarely have much hair. Some species are serious crop pests, and known as cutworms, living in the soil. They emerge at night and chew through plants at the base, often causing damage that can be mistaken for that caused by slugs. Newly planted lettuce and brassicas are favourite targets. They are active right through the winter, except in very cold weather. Their shiny brown pupae are often dug up by gardeners.

Knotgrass Acronicta rumicis: Grey, sometimes very dark, with clear white markings, especially near the wing edges. Adults active June to September. Caterpillar is hairy and brown with red and white spots. They eat a variety of plants, from knotgrass to brambles.

Knotgrass caterpillar on bramble in the Brenne, May.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:
Photographs numbered from left to right, top to bottom. 1 a typical Noctuid caterpillar.

Burnet Moths - Zygaenidae

Burnet moths Zygaenidae are striking looking day flying moths. At rest they have rather a look of Darth Vader, wrapped in their glossy black cloak. They can be distinguished by the number, colour and pattern of spots on the wings. The larvae are green with black lengthwise bands (rather like Large White Pieris brassicae caterpillars). They are not easy to tell apart, but the papery cocoons attached to grass stems can be attributed to species sometimes based on how far up the stem they are.

Variable Burnet Zygaena ephialtes:
As the English name suggests this moth is extremely variable in appearance. The spots can be white, yellow or red and the hind wing may be black with a spot or entirely red or yellow. The spots on the forewing are arranged as a fused pair near the base and three in a triangle in the middle. The body has a coloured band. Do not confuse with the 6-spot Burnet Z. filipendulae, which always has pairs of spots and no coloured abdomenal band. The adults are on the wing from June to September. This is primarily an upland species, relatively uncommon here as we are lowland. It prefers scrubby slopes and the caterpillars feed on crown vetch and other legumes. The photos below were taken in June, near La Liege.


























6-spot Burnet Zygaena filipendulae:
This species has 6 red (or occasionally, yellow) spots on each forewing, arranged in pairs. Sometimes a pair of spots is fused. The body is entirely glossy black. Common on flower rich grassland, especially at Scabious and Knapweed Centauria flowers. The adults are active from May to August, the larvae feed on trefoils and other legumes.