Spitfire caterpillar

Doratifera vulnerans

Description:

The final version of the D.vulnerans caterpillar - white-grey body with sets of red-orange tufts and yellow stinging hairs at either end and a turquoise, yellow and black saddle mid-dorsal.

Habitat:

Wetlands reserve on small eucalyptus stems.

Notes:

For the first time I have noticed the very fine hairs hanging down from the false legs shapes mid body - pic 3. What purpose? In pic 2 you can just see the tiny fine tips of the stinging spines. The yellow spines usually stay inside the orange bases but shoot out instantly if the caterpillar is disturbed. There seems very few of these around this year. This one was just about to turn itself into a cup. The twisted grey shades are an indicator that the changes are beginning. The next step in the pupation process is here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/983... then the moth can be seen here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/154...

Species ID Suggestions

73 Comments (1–25)

Mark Ridgway 8 years ago

No holidays coming up here Sergio but that won't stop us. Thanks... one of my favourites. :)

Sergio Monteiro 8 years ago

Ready for the holydays! Absolutely beautiful, Mark. Congrats.

Mark Ridgway 9 years ago

Thanks Christine. :)

Christine Y. 9 years ago

Wow, that's beautiful! Great spotting!

Mark Ridgway 10 years ago

Thanks Neil and ceejayalyssa

ceejayalyssa 10 years ago

such a pretty creature!

naross 10 years ago

What a wicked little dude, and not known for his sense of humour, I'll bet. A fabulous photo, Argy, and great spotting. Nice one :-)

Mark Ridgway 11 years ago

Thanks Anne Marie and cullenb1.

Anne Marie McCaffrey 11 years ago

That's a crazy caterpillar - great spotting!

cullenb1 11 years ago

BEST. PICTURE. EVER

Mark Ridgway 11 years ago

Thanks Maria, Gerardo and Stephen.

StephenSolomons 11 years ago

So beautifully portrayed and photographed as well

Gerardo Aizpuru 11 years ago

Extraordinary Mark congratulations :)

Maria dB 11 years ago

Wonderful series, Mark, and congratulations on your SOTD!

Mark Ridgway 11 years ago

Thanks all again for the wonderful comments. Sorry I can't find the 'like' buttons. :)

Gilma Jeannette Ospino Ferreira-Norman 11 years ago

Fantastic Series (all of them) great work. Thank you for sharing the stages of this moth in Series. Congratulations on the SOTD!! Very well deserved, Argy Bee.