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Can someone tell me what Pupa this is

 

Can some knowledgable person tell me what this pupa will turn into?  It's about 1" long (2.5cm for youngsters image).  I thought pupas appeared in springtime - is it normal for a pupa to appear at this time of year.  The more I learn about gardening, (mostly from this site) the more I realise how much I still have to learn! image

 

 

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  • PeterE17PeterE17 Posts: 129

    Try this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Dagger - it might be a grey dagger moth pupa

    Obviously the pupa is inert and will do neither good nor harm, but the caterpillar of the moth will eat prunus leaves and may other trees and shrubs.

    The caterpillar is very pretty - it has a yellow back and little 'faces' on its side, and has a dagger. There's a thread on the forum somewhere.

  • waterbuttswaterbutts Posts: 1,214

    It might be the Orange Underwing moth?

  • PeterE17PeterE17 Posts: 129

    Yes, might be the orange underwing, or even the Shuttle-shaped dart http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/moths%20p5.html

    It looks like a popular pupa shape to adopt so there are many candidates.

     

  • I've had a look at the links and I think it looks like the grey dagger but since I have no trees or fruit bushes I don't know where it came from.  Thanks for taking the time to help. 

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,312

    there are rather a lot that look superficially the same



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114

    That is one I always squash if I find it when digging.  The name escapes me at the moment but I think it is a baddie.

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,284

    is it not a leatherjacket or crane fly larvae. (daddy long legs). The grubs eat the roots of grasses and cause dead patches in the lawn.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,175

    No, not a leatherjacket 

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/advice/pests_and_diseases/identifier.shtml?leatherjackets

     

    As Nut says it could be any one of quite a few moths, the larvae of some of which might eat some plant roots, but the adults of all will pollinate our plants.  Squash the larvae and lose the pollinators!!!  We can ill afford to do that image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • PeterE17PeterE17 Posts: 129

    Until a few days ago I also would have said it was a leather jacket, so it could be a common mistake. As little weeeed points out, in gardening there is a lot to learn (and in my case, to unlearn).

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114

    I Googled leatherjacket larvae and I got a pic identical to the one above.  Keep it as a pollinator if you wish, I squish them.

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