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Photo#4636
Weird caterpillar - Synchlora aerata

Weird caterpillar - Synchlora aerata
Connecticut, USA
Is this a pillar with parasites or wasp larvae? Or is this a real species.

Moved
Moved from Synchlora.

Geometrid
I believe this is a geometrid caterpillar that has adorned itself with bits of plant parts in order to better camouflage itself.

Here's a similar one, with different camouflage:

And I've seen many others, usually on flowers.

There's an image and explanation in Florida's Fabulous Butterflies (1).

 
Larvae "Flowers"
Tom Eisner's book "For Love of Insects" (have to see if you have that on your list, Troy) has a great little section on these. I never knew they did this either until I read about it! Maybe I have seen some and not even known it - here's a site with a photo from his book http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/21878/page/3#21948

lele

 
Thanks
That link is interesting and provides leads on the id's of these critters. I'll have to do some checking to see if only that single species does this or whether there are many.

Eisner's book (1) is now on my Amazon wish list. I recently read a review of it in one of my science magazines that got my mouth watering. Now if I only I can find time to read the books I already have!

 
Geometrid moth larva
V J Hickey: thanks to Troy,Lele and Dave: the latter's image is the one I remember. I have many Geo moths dropping from a black walnut tree.The pale lilac shreds are from oregano flowers, which I have in abundance....a great nectar source for many insects.My camera CP4500..has trouble w/focus on pale ojects on yellow/green background...not enough contrast, I was told, even w/ center weighting...so it tends to focus on the bright yellow against a dark object. That's why the images were not acceptable to me.

 
Geometrid
Troy, that is the strangest thing I've seen this year. Thanks, I had no clue that they do that.

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