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The Bug Geek
Insects. Doing Science. Other awesome, geeky stuff.
Forgotten Photo Friday – a cryptic caterpillar
Posted by on February 3, 2012
I still have no idea how I spotted this among all the lush, green September foliage blanketing the edges of a forest path:
I suspect my eye was drawn to the bits of missing leaf that indicated insect damage (usually a good place to look for bugs). This critter was chewing its way up the midrib of the leaf, being careful to align its body perfectly with the smaller veins, disguising its body as just another part of (albeit damaged) plant. This is a wonderful example of cryptic camouflage: the animal uses its colour, shape and behaviour to blend in with its environment, thereby escaping the sharp eyes of its predators.
The view underneath was pretty interesting, too. It revealed that the animal was actually holding TWO leaves in place, managing somehow to line them up nicely enough to fool the eye into seeing a single unit of greenery when viewed from above:
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Edited to add: Ok, ok. Dave called me out on my “ID” of this animal (or perhaps lack thereof). This is in fact the larva of a sawfly, which is a type of wasp – the biggest hint as to its identity is the number of prolegs (also, the head capsule is pretty typical of sawflies). However, “Cryptic Sawfly Larva” does not nearly have the same alliterative resonance as “Cryptic caterpillar”, so I took creative liberties. So there.
The little green pig…two leaves at once!
Well spotted! I take it ID is out of the question?
I haven’t even TRIED, Adrian! I should submit to bug guide.
I see you’re adjusting to the use of flash nicely – very good lighting.
Thanks, Ted! My only regret is that I have few live subjects right now
But I’m still getting some white box practice with pinned critters! I hope to get even better after another round of BugShot 
Re live subjects: go subniveal! Borrow a Berlese funnel and try digging out some forest or even backyard litter from under the snow. If you fill the bottom third of your extraction vial with plaster of Paris-powdered charcoal mix (7:1 by volume is good) and wet it up after it sets, then you can do live extractions easily.
I’m still processing my sample from aspen parkland two weekends ago, but I have 8 species of beetles (Byrridae, Carabidae, Cucurlionidae, Dytiscidae, Elateridae, Hydrophilidae, Staphylinidae) and a great rhyparochromid bug (Scolopostethus thomsoni) that would be fitting macrophotography subjects – although none are giants. Then there are 3 microhymenoptera (scelionines), 4 species of spiders, 3 of thrips, an ant (Leptothoraxa), and so far uncounted springtails, mites, and even a Geophilus centipede.
PS – seems like a lot of prolegs on that caterpillar – could it be a sawfly?
Dave, that sounds like a fun idea! I may have to give that a try.
And yeah, that could definitely be a sawfly…the head capsule made me think of one … I chose to be vague in my ID because…well, I’m not sure.
Ok, ok. I ‘fessed up. I added some text to clarify
Thanks for keeping me honest 
Lovely!
Thank you!
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