2 June 2014 - Satellites in York and Coxwold

The Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 

The Satellite (above) is illustrated as if in flight next to flowers of the Field Larkspur (Delphinium consolida), or Knight's Spur as it is also known.  The moth has been recorded at Shandy Hall before (26 March 2012) and has appeared quite often since then. Yesterday I noticed what looked like a tiny, plump, velvet cushion on a stone slab beneath a clematis and a honeysuckle.  The cushion was quite hairy, pale-pink beneath and had two straight orange lines at its head and two straight orange lines at its tail.  It would not open out and remained curled up tight.  I photographed it as best I could and set about trying to identify it - I soon gave up.

Left - Shandy Hall caterpillar / Right - York caterpillar

Coincidentally, Stuart and Alison from York Museums Trust sent me this afternoon a photograph of a caterpillar that Alison had found and Stuart had identified.  The photograph shows a much clearer image of a caterpillar of the same species on a marigold leaf - The Satellite.

In the illustration below the caterpillar can be seen crawling out from beneath a leaf that also serves as a platform for a Copper Underwing larva.

The Satellite caterpillar (illustration)