Haploa contigua – The Neighbor

I found this caterpillar on 6/2/09  feeding on American Hazelnut leaves (Corylus americana).

Haploa contigua larva

Haploa contigua larva

Top view of larva

Haploa contigua larva

On 6/15/09 it pupated in a silk nest on one of the hazel leaves.

Haploa contigua pupa

This is the pupa removed from the nest, with the old caterpillar skin on the left.

Haploa contigua pupa

On 7/6/09 the adult emerged.

Haploa contigua adult

Haploa contigua

Haploa contigua

Pupa casing after emergence

Haploa contigua

According to David Wagner in Caterpillars of Eastern North America, Haploas eat plants in the sunflower and borage families in early instars.  They over winter as larvae, and after hibernation, they may eat many other plants.  They have only one generation per year.

Marcie O’Connor

Buffalo County, Wisconsin