hi there! i like tiny animals and taking photos of them. here are some good tags: #my pics #slimy friends (snails & slugs) #mantis #isopods
[ my pics sorted by species ]
Been wanting to ID this caterpillar for a very long time, but all I currently know is that it’s from the Callopistria genus (fern moths).
I’ve found this caterpillar feeding on a variety of different ferns. During the day, the caterpillar will hide in the black moss that covers the tree. At night, the caterpillar will be underneath the fern leaves.
This caterpillar has been found in Far-North Queensland, Australia.
@alchemiccolored submitted: This huge mantis just hung out on our front porch a while back… certainly something to come home to! She’s so photogenic,,, 🥺
Big!!! Love this pal. Looks like a Chinese mantis :)
@llumaca submitted: ants looking after their aphid herd. interesting to see but… i wish they wouldn’t do it on my succulents :<
Lol yes aphids can be not great for plants. But very fun to watch! I think I’d tolerate them just for that :) Your succulents look beautiful! I’ve never gotten mine to flower :C
@aura1-sponge submitted: Little SCOUMDREL in my house
. Sent hmi out into the clod cold rsin. A silly man
Who
I see no scoundrel here, only a very nice and leggy friend. It’s a house centipede! Very sad you put them outside in the cold cold rain but luckily they are well adapted to surviving on their own and will likely find another nice house to visit :)
Personal Observations
Firstly, the caterpillar’s colours vary drastically with each instar and specimen. I at first noticed that final instars became a dull brown with wood-like patterns, however I’ve found specimens that maintain bright colours in their final instars as well. There doesn’t seem to be any order to the colours the caterpillars became, aside from genetics.
A list of colours and variants I’ve found:
White/Light grey with a dark head and legs, and spots running horizontally down the back
Fully beige with wood-like patterning
Fully dark brown/Reddish brown with wood-like patterning
Fully Grey/Blueish black with clear white patterning on the face
Black, or Reddish black with bright red/orange patterns running down the side
The caterpillar will always have a line (made up of 4 dots) separating the thorax from the rest of the body.
The caterpillars would often feed in broad day light, and would position themselves in a way that would camouflage their bodies, as they ate. When threatened, the caterpillars would curl their heads under their bodies, and regurgitate their food onto their attacker.
The caterpillars would grow quite large, with final instars almost being the length of my index finger.
My coworkers bring me gifts; every bug they find in the hall ends up in a little cup on my desk. Today’s friend is a little caterpillar.
What would a caterpillar be doing in a building? Well, before they pupate, many moth caterpillars go through a wandering phase, where they leave their host plant (where a smart predator could easily find them), and wander around until they find a spot where they think, “Yes. This is it. My destiny.” Then they start chewing stuff up, spinning a cocoon (if they like), maybe burying themselves underground, then pupate.
I gave this baby a little piece of napkin, and they immediately started chewing it up to make silk to spin a cocoon. Cocoon spinning has been happening all day and we are making great progress!
February 6, 2018
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