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Project Noah Nature School
Uraba lugens
From a short distance I thought this was a bunch of seeds on a grass stem. Close inspection revealed a cluster of Uraba lugens caterpillars faking it. I have never seen this type of behaviour from them... similar to sawfly clustering. They have 'grown' some 'hats' so they must have been feeding on eucalyptus leaves somewhere nearby but they would have needed to descend from this dry plant, cross open ground, and climb a gum tree. ??
In a local nature reserve on a stem of last years annual weeds (possibly a Daucus carota stem)
Often called the 'Gum leaf skeletoniser' and 'Hatted caterpillars' When a bit bigger than these, they build tall 'hats' out of old, loose scales from moulting, possibly as a distraction to potential threats.. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/791...
The adult moth can be seen here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/225...
Still to research this behaviour.
Spotted on Aug 27, 2014
Submitted on Aug 27, 2014
6 Comments
"Damn, eucalyptus again??? Lets try something different, guys..."
Hey thanks Bill. Spring is here... it's our turn now (sorry :-)
Wonderful spotting Mark!
Democratic caterpillars? okaaaay.
Time for an election then.
These types of caterpillars are processionary and will follow each other along a long line. Possibly a misguided leader took them to the drier pastures.