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Project Noah Nature School
Hypobapta percomptaria
The smooth multi-colored caterpillar was about 20mm long and about 2mm thick. Had a narrow pointed head, three pairs of thoracic legs (not in pics) and two pairs of prolegs. The head region was pinkish red, followed by pale green segments and then bluish red to pale red.
Eucalyptus tree
I noticed what looked like a stalk of a gum leaf sticking straight out of another leaf (pic 5). The caterpillar was high up on the tree and I had to pick the leaf off for photos. I have never seen one this small, multi-coloured and so like the gum-leaf stalk. Could be an early instar. My thanks to StephenSolomons for his suggestion, which I am accepting.
Spotted on Feb 26, 2013
Submitted on Feb 27, 2013
5 Comments
The larger, green version of this one has a sharper head and I thought it may be that this is a partial aging. There are several other things it could be. Some of these are very hard to identify :-)
Stephen, Thanks so much for your suggestion. I looked at all the geometrid caterpillars in the resources available to me and got thoroughly confused. However, I think your suggestion is the closest so I'll go with it . My spotting shows the caterpillar with a sharper head than the one in Don Herbison's photo but I will accept the suggestion.
That makes great sense. I haven't yet put up a spotting (same tree same time) for a fat green caterpillar.... the one down-page on your link. Excellent.
What about this? http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au...
Good to compare with this http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/189...