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Io Moth Caterpillar (5th Instar)

Automeris io

Description:

The green caterpillars have two lateral stripes, the upper one being bright red and the lower one being white. After the larvae develop, they will lose their orange color and will turn bright green and urticating, having many spines. These stinging spines have a very painful venom that is released with the slightest touch; a condition known as erucism.

Habitat:

On the daybed in the open air lounge area of a rental house. At the beach of the Caribbean sea, near Chuspa, Miranda, Venezuela.

Notes:

This little fellow was spotted on the blue pillow and was not moving so I thought the spiky bits was its head until it decided to crawl forwards and then it became obvious. When it then moved onto the wooden pole it posed very nicely for these few shots.

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1 Comment

maplemoth662
maplemoth662 6 years ago

A beautiful caterpillar....

Muckpuk
Spotted by
Muckpuk

Parroquia Caruao, Vargas, Venezuela

Spotted on Jan 22, 2017
Submitted on Jan 22, 2017

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