more photos from Reserva Un poco del Chocó in this album
Moths celebrate Halloween too…. This hawkmoth (most likely a Violet Gliding Hawkmoth (Ambulyx liturata, Sphingidae)), has been parasitized by an Akanthomyces fungus (probably Akanthomyces...
Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Usually when we talk about bugs or insects, we imagine something repulsive and gross, and even scary. Probably more than one of you even has a phobia and can’t stand those little critters. But it might surprise you that there are some bugs that have such interesting forms and colors that you entirely forget they are related to the cockroach living under your sink in your student dormitory.
Caterpillars and/or larvae/worms I have photographed over the years. More will be added as we go. A wet and hairy caterpillar I found one rainy night. Lasiocampidae - Trabala sp. Snake-mimic caterpillar? Sphingidae -Eupanacra sp. - ID suggested by Roger Kendrick. Selangor, Malaysia. Map butterfly larva (Cyrestis sp.) - ID suggested by GC Gan. Bad hair day. Big Saturniidae caterpillar Limacodid caterpillar Another one Caterpillars in Cycloalexy - defensive, circular arrangement. An Orthogonius sp. beetle (ID credit: Harald Schillhammer) photobombing a bunch of caterpillars (in cycloalexy arrangement?). The beetle wasn't there when I took the first couple of shots . Two dipteran puparia (singular, puparium) in the cocoon of a Cyana species moth (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae: Lithosiinae). The caterpillar was parasitized by either Tachinidae or Sarcophagidae flies. Info credit: Stoy Hedges, Roberto Pantaleoni, Marcus Ng. Selangor, Malaysia. Burara harisa consobrina, orange awlet caterpillar Orsotriaena medus caterpillar on a blade of grass, at night. Merged from two images. Cactuspillar :D Camouflage! See how it moves in this clip here. Red head. ID appreciated! Natural light on tripod. Caterpillar eating some kind of white pod Caterpillar, likely another Lasiocampidae Snow white caterpillar. Attacus sp. Another Attacus sp. caterpillar. A parasitoid wasp ovipositing on a autumn leaf butterfly caterpillar More examples of parasitoidsim. Limacodid caterpillar Beautiful moth caterpillar. Family: Limacodidae. Diffuser & Reflector used. Another Limacodid caterpillar Dysphania caterpillar Thosea vetusta caterpillar Hawk moth caterpillar, Sphingid A caterpillar with loads of parasitoid wasp cocoons. One of the grubs hatched. You can see the grub squirming in this GIF: Another one with parasitoid wasp cocoons This caterpillar fell prey to a Herennia sp. female spider Jumping spider with prey - a Malays Baron caterpillar More tropical spiders here. Malay Baron caterpillar (Euthalia monina). The tail end of the caterpillar i think. The front end? More jumping spiders. Calliteara sp. caterpillar (Subfamily: Lymantriinae). ID credit: Franziska Bauer. Selangor, Malaysia. Papilionidae caterpillar, info credit: Marcus Ng. Selangor, Malaysia. This larva fell prey to a potter wasp More wasps. Palmfly caterpillar Plain nawab caterpillar I found this cricket eating a caterpillar too. The same caterpillar was attacked by a few trap jaw ants! More tropical ants.
Pu'er, Yunnan, China see comments for additional view…..
Caterpillars eating your tomato plants are often hornworms in the family Sphingidae. Here's how to identify and deal with hornworm caterpillars.
オオスカシバ Photo:E-P1+MF-2+ZUIKO MC MACRO 50mmF3.5
Pu'er, Yunnan, China see comments for additional view…..
Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Lepidoptera, Sphingidae Gifu, Japan :Nawa Entomological Laboratory,1904. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38620544
..but this is no costume! This hawk moth (most likely a Violet Gliding Hawk Moth (Ambulyx liturata, Sphingidae)), has been parasitized and ultimately embalmed by an Akanthomyces fungus (probably Akanthomyces pistillariiformis), a Cordyceps anamorph peculiar to moths. The moth picked up fungal "spores" at some stage which gradually began invading its body to a point where, while it was at rest on this leaf, the moth died. The fungus then totally engulfs and embalms the corpse producing this macabre sight. Such conquests are regularly seen in this climate in smaller moths, but larger victims are almost frightening to look at. I encountered a similar example around the same time three years ago, also in a hawk moth (see comments for images). At the time, I collected that specimen and still have it sealed in a container, unchanged…frozen in time….mummified…... Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Explore In Memoriam: Ecuador Megadiverso's 30363 photos on Flickr!
Explore gailhampshire's 39725 photos on Flickr!
Explore In Memoriam: Ecuador Megadiverso's 30363 photos on Flickr!
Deilephila elpenor (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae). Night shot taken with the MP-E65 macro lens hand-held during a light trap collecting. Settings: f/13, 1/160 sec., ISO 160, 1.0 x magnification. View large!
Deilephila elpenor (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae). Night shot taken with the MP-E65 macro lens hand-held during a light trap collecting. Settings: f/13, 1/160 sec., ISO 160, 1.0 x magnification. View large!
Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Beijing, China
Ello Sphinx, Erinnyis ello Atlantic central Panama All images © James A. Christensen/PrimevalNature.com Please read my profile before making any request for use.
Sphingidae caterpillars and pupae Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma - Moths Vol. 5
Caterpillars can whistle, a new study has found. One species was found to be whistling to frighten away birds.
Horsmakiitäjä Deilephila elpenor
Horsmakiitäjä Deilephila elpenor
Hyles euphorbiae caterpillar / Wolfsmilchschwärmer by Hans Rentsch - http://ift.tt/1IjgKFI
Pu'er, Yunnan, China see comments for additional images.....
Explore gailhampshire's 39762 photos on Flickr!
Explore In Memoriam: Ecuador Megadiverso's 30363 photos on Flickr!
This image appears as representative of this species on the website, Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic (including Siberia, the Russian Far East, Mongolia, China, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula and Japan.) Pu'er, Yunnan, China see comments for additional view…...
