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Peter Dexter

Well-known member
He said to Alice after taking the hookah out of his mouth...

42525126190_ed905e38bd_b.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
He said to Alice after taking the hookah out of his mouth...

42525126190_ed905e38bd_b.jpg

I presume that some critical predators are tricked into thinking it’s a plant? A lot of evolutionary work has gone into sculpting this handsome critter!

A superb find, Peter.

Thanks!

Asher
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
Thank you Asher. I believe it is a Sphinx Moth caterpillar. It is feeding on leaves of Brugmansia sp. which are toxic (this is the plant the knock out drug scopolamine is made from). It may be using the same strategy as the Monarch butterfly, that is eating poisonous plants to make yourself inedible by birds.
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Thank you Asher. I believe it is a Sphinx Moth caterpillar. It is feeding on leaves of Brugmansia sp. which are toxic (this is the plant the knock out drug scopolamine is made from). It may be using the same strategy as the Monarch butterfly, that is eating poisonous plants to make yourself inedible by birds.

How do the birds get to know? Do they see a few drop dead or what? Is there group learning?

Or is there some signal in the markings of the caterpillar, perhaps in UV that warns the bird.

After all, what’s the point of being poisonous to predators, if they can’t even read the ? notice?

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Very nice and well captured little guy…
But he doesn't make me hungry! Although I don't feel being a bird ;)

Vey nice shot Peter!
Is this a FF or a large crop?
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
Thank you Nicolas. Pretty close to full frame. Although the 24 1.8 I use on my Sony a6000 is ostensibly a landscape lens it lets me focus quite close to the subject. The caterpillar was fairly large at 7cm long. I'm curious about those little yellow horns and whether their venomous.
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Thank you Nicolas. Pretty close to full frame. Although the 24 1.8 I use on my Sony a6000 is ostensibly a landscape lens it lets me focus quite close to the subject. The caterpillar was fairly large at 7cm long. I'm curious about those little yellow horns and whether their venomous.

I wouldn't test!

Would be wonderful to see a close-up of the head…
 
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