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Pararguda sp.
A well camouflaged mostly grey caterpillar about 60mm long and 10mm diameter.
Attached to a thin acacia stem.
As it is nearly winter here I am wondering whether this creature will wait until spring to develop.
http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au...
Spotted on May 9, 2012
Submitted on May 11, 2012
16 Comments
Thanks Ashish. We are certainly 'in the ball park' with those owl moth types. Some of the Brisbane species just don't make it this far south though so several of those can be crossed off the list. Good to keep this link however.
Have a look here..
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
Yes martin I have since had some doubts myself. I thought I had found enough pictures of larvae to justify colour variations (they seemed to somewhat take on the colour of the plant stems) but there's still other elements in doubt... I think I'll leave it as is until I have a better idea. I went back within a day and couldn't find it anywhere so it must be quite mobile at night.?.
Nice to complete the set. I've found no better match, but I'm not entirely certain these larvae are the same.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wimmera_mot...
Hi asergio. Typical winters here involve temps of min = 5C and max = 15C. It is also typically our wettest period of the year. One day in 7 might vary to a max of 20C. It's usually a repetitive pattern of stormy low pressure systems sweeping north from the Antarctic. (and there's nothing between to slow it down !) In summer we get incredible extremes. We often see the temp drop from 40C to 25C within 15 minutes. That's always exciting :) You might enjoy playing with this map. http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_av...
Please tell me, how are the winters in your area? What is the average temperature? Is there a great fluctuation of temperatures? Is it dry or wet?
Nice spot, Argy. It is obvious you don't need an eye exam!
Grandioso!!
Fantastic spot! How you managed to see him at all Argy!
great camouflage!
Thanks EEaL. I was actually trying to shoot something else and almost grabbed him to move the branch away so yes - very well hidden.
That's an amazing spotting! It's so well hidden I had to keep looking to see where the caterpillar was.
Great info Ashish! I had not heard that yet. Thanks again. I will get around to searching for all these things soon. I find it easier to put a number of spots up then work through the ID's - what do you think?
Argy... I learnt all about organism here on Project Noah only... by all of you user's lovely spottings... Bark mimic caterpillars are mostly of Geometric moths.
That was quick Ashish - thanks. :)
Its called Fringed caterpillar of Geometridae family of moths.