White-stemmed Gum Moth Caterpillar

Chelepteryx collesi

Description:

This is a GIANT caterpillar. About 12 cm long at least and as thick as a man's thumb. This thing is HUGE! Never seen anything like it before.

Habitat:

Found it on my letterbox but we are in a semi rural area.

1 Species ID Suggestions

Reza Hashemizadeh 9 years ago

White-stemmed gum moth

Chelepteryx collesi White-stemmed gum moth | CSIRO

16 Comments

KerryHawkins 8 years ago

Thanks so much guys. I was excited to find it myself!

Neil Ross 9 years ago

Wow. Talk about an industrial-strength caterpillar. Nice spotting, Kerry.

MrsPbio 9 years ago

Geez..! Doesn't look very friendly! Yikes !!!!!

Hema Shah 9 years ago

these caterpillars deliver painful stings and in some people anaphalyctic shock!

KerryHawkins 9 years ago

Now all I have to do is wait to see this bat sized moth!!!! Hema!

Hema Shah 9 years ago

http://csironewsblog.com/2012/06/08/inse...
The moth is s o big that it is sometimes mistaken for a bat!!

Sergio Monteiro 9 years ago

Beautiful series, congrats.

Reza Hashemizadeh 9 years ago

The close-up of its face is frightfully fantastic :)

KerryHawkins 9 years ago

Maybe I should keep an eye out for this moth Mark. I rehoused him of my letter box and onto a gum tree. If he stays there I can watch.

Mark Ridgway 9 years ago

Great job on the ID Reza. I would love to find the moth. Sounds like it's huge.

KerryHawkins 9 years ago

I am 60 years old and have never seen one of these before allen.hoof. Although my husband related a story to me about his having a bad meeting with one when he was very young. He put his hand on one by mistake. He said it hurt a lot.

KerryHawkins 9 years ago

I have added a close up of one end!!LOL not sure whether the head or the other end!!

KerryHawkins 9 years ago

Yay! I think the ID is correct Reza! I checked on the web site and sounds and looks perfect! It even said it can get into letter boxes. Think I might steer him away. Don't want those spikes in me thanks!