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This fancy looking caterpillar was feeding on leaves in a dry creek bed near Navajo Lake, NM. It was dark brown - nearly black - with white hairs, pale yellow stripes on its body, and a bright, translucent red face.
22 Comments
Thanks ChicquitaRajawali :)
Similar to Vine Moth Caterpillar ... :)
Interesting... I knew about the pose but not the secretions. This one must not have been feeling agitated enough to take it to the next level. Thanks Eric!
ive read that they do this pose when agitated, if severely they secrete from both ends until danger passes
Thanks Carol! It does look a fair amount like the Walnut Moth Datana integerrima (http://bugguide.net/node/view/3234), and they've been spotted in AZ... but I didn't find any where the coloring seemed quite right. I wish I'd gotten better photos of the bush it was feeding on. It's really common around here, but I don't know the name and now all the leaves have dropped.
oops Wrong ID. Reminds me of Walnut Moth Caterpillar
What treat did you bribe him with to perform like a seal. HA! Yes, I really love caterpillars a lot too! It reminds me of my Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar. I think it will be a tree or plant native to New Mexico then. Great photos again! You are very talented.
Thanks Carol and Eric. I was really happy to get close to an ID, and hope to figure out the exact species eventually. Caterpillars are so much fun. :)
yea i couldnt narrow it down either..good find :) definately datana sp.
Great series of photos! Caterpillars are some of my favorite subjects to photograph. But then again, I only have a 10 year old Panasonic DMC-FZ10
Good. I was searching something else and ran across an image that made me say-I know that caterpillr. Great photos btw.
Thanks for the suggestion, auntnance... It looks a lot like a datana major, but as far as I can tell they don't live this far west. But it has to be something really close.
Thanks Pulkit.Singal and KarenL. It does look kind of like a little dragon. :)
Look at the azalea caterpillars, they all seem to have this "rearing" habit.
Wow, amazing! Looks like a dragon from the chinese new year celebrations!
great mustache it have !!!
Thanks Cindy, Doina, and Ashish! The pose was really neat to see... like it was king or queen of the bush. :)
These Butterfly caterpillars are very amazing...!!
great series! good details and ....funny posture!:) my compliments!
I think it's doing yoga :) Great pics
Thanks Art3! I've never seen another caterpillar quite like it.
Nice photos