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Limacodidae sp.
Crazy colored caterpillar. Approximately 1.5 inches long.
Amazon rainforest. Found on the underside of a palm frond along the main trail leading from the ACTS field station to the canopy walkway
We didn't have time to watch its behavior for a lengthy time, but it did remain relatively motionless. Next time I will know what to look for! Thanks Bayucca!
There is almost no info about Limacodidae caterpillar anywhere! Most caties are not IDed, like yours.
To the shed: I once read that caterpillars are eating there own shed, which would make sense, since the shed is pure protein and, specially in the nutrition-scarced rainforest, it can't be that such proteins are wasted. So my thought where that yours is eating it's shed or what also could be the case, that it is just walking away. Did you notice the direction it moved or was it just staying by its shed? If yes, that I guess that it is really eating its shed.
Bayucca! Can you tell us more? What traits tell you this is a slug moth caterpillar? Is it common for caterpillars to eat their own shed? Are they distributed world wide? Any suggestions on where we can find more info on Limacodidae found in the Amazon?
Spotted on Jul 9, 2012
Submitted on Jul 11, 2012
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