Is this an aquatic Lepidopteran or a terrestrial?

Questions about identifying invertebrates
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SReynolds
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2024 8:37 am

Is this an aquatic Lepidopteran or a terrestrial?

Post by SReynolds »

I found this in a sample taken from the West Branch of the White River upstream of Rochester Vt. It may be a terrestrial that got caught in my net as I walked in/out, or it may be one of the Crambidae. I don't have any other images. Am I correct about being a Lepidopteran?
EOS M200_4495a.JPG
EOS M200_4495a.JPG (108.52 KiB) Viewed 648 times
Steve
SReynolds
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2024 8:37 am

Re: Is this an aquatic Lepidopteran or a terrestrial?

Post by SReynolds »

I got some help from the Vt Entomological Society on this one - it's a sawfly (Hymenopteran) larva, a terrestrial, and not a Lepidopteran. I found this reference to distinguish between the larvae of the sawflies and caterpillars. Caterpillar larvae have 5 or fewer pairs of abdominal prolegs.
Steve
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