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Project Noah Nature School
Doratifera vulnerans
Highly coloured caterpillars with 8 orange stinging haired tufts which retract; body varies in colour through pale pinkish cream to purple-browm depending on phase; shaped like a Chinese junk - high deck at both ends; no prolegs and very diminished legs so it moves on an almost continuous foot a bit like like a slug (see pic #3); warning colours on a saddle of dark spot, white, bright aqua and yellow; red horns.
This one on small eucalyptus (poss. melliodora)
Also known as 'Mottled cupmoth' and 'Chinese junk'. Family: Limacodidae 14 found on one small branch in various stages of development including several cups. Pic 3 is a good view of the slug-like foot these caterpillars move around on. Cups are obviously designed to look like gum nuts to confuse predators. The last two shots show a darker coloured version. They would have been dark brown a week or two ago. In the background of pic#3 there is a cup cocoon which looks just like a gum nut. Pupation ... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/983... Moth (martinl)... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/796... Earlier instar (Leuba)... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/944... October 17, 2012 this one finally became a moth... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/154...
Spotted on Mar 16, 2012
Submitted on Mar 16, 2012
29 Comments (1–25)
Wow! Fascinating!
Thanks Yuko, Env. You wouldn't want to touch these things Yuko as they are incredibly painful and it lasts for days.
What beautiful colors and decorations! I want one!
Thanks Ali and Jason
Wonderful!
Wow!! Stunning!
Thanks tibiprada and J... it was the pupation sequence that really blew me away though. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/983...
Amazing coloration!
Wonderful job !
Thanks Emma. I'm still watching for the next chapter with these.
Wonderful spotting Argybee!
Amazing looking critter!
Cool pictures !!!
Thanks everyone. I'm still watching the cocoons for chapter 4 of this story.
Absolutely beautiful!!!!
If things went wrong, these guys could make a living at a circus...
Great spotting argy,congratulations,vibrant colours,alien look,perfect
that is seriously incredible.
Wow incredible series!
Wow wow! can't say anything ... very interesting spotting Argybee!
If there were a "Series of the Day", I'd vote for this one.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Nopayahnah those two on the single branch pupated in exactly those positions - the final photo in the linked series shows those two as cocoons.
I have added a sequence showing the formation of the cocoon http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/983...
Great Series!
Great series. Love the fourth photo!