This morning I found a well camouflaged caterpillar covered with what I presume are parasitic wasp eggs. Is it possible for an amateur like me to raise them to adulthood to see what they are? Or should I just dump them all in ethanol?
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Not an expert … if you could keep the caterpillar in an enclosure with soil, water, and appropriate plant material, it could work!
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Might it actually be parasitic wasp pupae that you are seeing, as in braconids? If so you can just place the larva in a closed container and the wasps will emerge in the near future. I’ve done this in the past.
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Some caterpillars also camouflage themselves with bits of flower petals or other debris.
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If these are pupae, then the caterpillar is likely dead – the parasitoids keep it alive long enough to pupate, but it dies shortly afterward. Be sure to provide adequate ventilation so that the caterpillar does not rot; this would kill the wasp pupae.
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To answer your question in the topic title: yes
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You can’t find wasp eggs on the caterpillar, so, as previously said, likely those are braconid cocoons.
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Thanks. You are correct. They are actually pupae. I will give raising them a shot.
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The caterpillar or whatever it is, is still alive.
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to ethanol with this
Why would you kill them? They’re easily rearable.
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yes, it is possible; but a specimen dissected in ethanol would be an interesting exhibit
Yeah, but id is more likely on adult, so better to wait until they grow to it.)
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