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melvynyeo β€” Call me Fluffy

Published: 2013-09-18 11:05:07 +0000 UTC; Views: 4283; Favourites: 167; Downloads: 47
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Description Found a fluffy caterpillar covered with dew on a tree trunk. Taken at night in Singapore.

Quote from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpil…
Many caterpillars are cryptically colored and resemble the plants on which they feed. They may even have parts that mimic plant parts such as thorns. Their size varies from as little as 1 mm to about 75 millimetres (3.0 in). Some look like objects in the environment such as bird droppings. Many feed enclosed inside silk galleries, rolled leaves or by mining between the leaf surfaces. Caterpillars of Nemoria arizonaria that grow in spring feed on oak catkins and appear green. The summer brood appear like oak twigs. The differential development is linked to the tannin content in the diet.

More aggressive self-defense measures are taken by some caterpillars. These measures include having spiny bristles or long fine hair-like setae with detachable tips that will irritate by lodging in the skin or mucous membranes. However some birds (such as cuckoos) will swallow even the hairiest of caterpillars. The most aggressive caterpillar defenses are bristles associated with venom glands. These bristles are called urticating hairs. A venom which is among the most potent defensive chemicals in any animal is produced by the South American silk moth genus Lonomia. Its venom is an anticoagulant powerful enough to cause a human to hemorrhage to death (See Lonomiasis). This chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications. Most urticating hairs range in effect from mild irritation to dermatitis.

Plants contain toxins which protect them from herbivores, but some caterpillars have evolved countermeasures which enable them to eat the leaves of such toxic plants. In addition to being unaffected by the poison, the caterpillars sequester it in their body, making them highly toxic to predators. The chemicals are also carried on into the adult stages. These toxic species, such as the Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) and monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillars, usually advertise themselves with the danger colors of red, yellow and black, often in bright stripes (see aposematism). Any predator that attempts to eat a caterpillar with an aggressive defense mechanism will learn and avoid future attempts.

Some caterpillars regurgitate acidic digestive juices at attacking enemies. Many papilionid larvae produce bad smells from extrudable glands called osmeteria.
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Comments: 30

ElfOwl245 [2013-11-12 00:39:03 +0000 UTC]

Oh my goodness! So fluffeh

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LaceyJibs [2013-09-29 23:51:42 +0000 UTC]

You always have interesting, amazing finds ! Great work! Β Β 

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TheMarchStudios [2013-09-27 16:09:50 +0000 UTC]


Terrific capture. I love these macros... it's like looking into a whole different world! What an incredible looking creature.

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melvynyeo In reply to TheMarchStudios [2013-09-28 06:57:03 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Annaliese-Shelly [2013-09-26 18:12:32 +0000 UTC]

So cute!!!!

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melvynyeo In reply to Annaliese-Shelly [2013-09-28 06:57:06 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Lightningball [2013-09-24 16:07:50 +0000 UTC]

This is so so great. I love the little droplets on its hairs!

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melvynyeo In reply to Lightningball [2013-09-28 06:57:08 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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Zawanarii [2013-09-21 11:58:59 +0000 UTC]

images3.wikia.nocookie.net/the…

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melvynyeo In reply to Zawanarii [2013-09-28 06:57:28 +0000 UTC]

LOL!!

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Helens-Serendipity [2013-09-20 15:31:25 +0000 UTC]

I'm surprised you spotted him

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melvynyeo In reply to Helens-Serendipity [2013-09-28 06:57:56 +0000 UTC]

It was pretty obvious on a tree trunk

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Wolfy-89 [2013-09-18 20:44:24 +0000 UTC]

It's soooooooooo fluffyyyyyy!!!

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melvynyeo In reply to Wolfy-89 [2013-09-28 06:58:04 +0000 UTC]

indeed

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Wolfy-89 In reply to melvynyeo [2013-09-29 08:12:46 +0000 UTC]

^_^

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Shadowink1955 [2013-09-18 19:16:19 +0000 UTC]

good pic, greetings.

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melvynyeo In reply to Shadowink1955 [2013-09-28 06:58:07 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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AsymptoticWay [2013-09-18 17:27:45 +0000 UTC]

So cute wanna hug it!!

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melvynyeo In reply to AsymptoticWay [2013-09-28 06:58:10 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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AsymptoticWay In reply to melvynyeo [2013-09-28 07:54:48 +0000 UTC]

np

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maryjayne530 [2013-09-18 15:57:00 +0000 UTC]

SO COOL

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melvynyeo In reply to maryjayne530 [2013-09-28 06:58:14 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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gigi50 [2013-09-18 12:05:55 +0000 UTC]

Oh my that sure is fluffy Β  Β 

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melvynyeo In reply to gigi50 [2013-09-28 06:58:16 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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gigi50 In reply to melvynyeo [2013-09-28 10:52:01 +0000 UTC]

Β 

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sparrowcrazy [2013-09-18 11:11:51 +0000 UTC]

Haha that's adorable... Mind you when do you sleep running around at night taking awesome photos?

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melvynyeo In reply to sparrowcrazy [2013-09-28 06:58:30 +0000 UTC]

Only once a week

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sparrowcrazy In reply to melvynyeo [2013-09-28 15:15:41 +0000 UTC]

Ah, right, that makes sense..

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cgartMan5ON [2013-09-18 11:10:12 +0000 UTC]

So cute!Β 

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melvynyeo In reply to cgartMan5ON [2013-09-28 06:58:33 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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