Recognize caterpillar? and interesting larval camouflage

[gwang]

Hi Liz,

Actually, I think if you look carefully, it's possible to see the gland
from which the acid is ejected.  It's that slightly darkened structure
in the pink area right below the mandibles.

Peace,
Xi Wang

Liz Day wrote:
> 
> Looks like a puss moth.   They have two long tails coming out the
> back.  Only I thought the acid (or whatever) was squirted out the
> tails.  ?  They whip the tails around if disturbed.
> 
> I am rearing a few tiny ones here.  They are dark brown and maybe 5 mm
> long.  They sit with their head on the edge of the (cherry) leaf and their
> tails held together out behind them perfectly straight, pointing in toward
> the leaf vein.   This looks remarkably like a rip in the leaf - the dark
> area created by the caterpillar looks like the shadow that would be the
> empty space behind the rip.   Even the hole they eat at the leaf edge looks
> like part of the rip.  I've never seen a caterpillar that mimicked a
> rip.  It's cool.  Sometimes they curl like a "J" instead;  I assume that is
> supposed to be a bird doodle.
> 
> Liz

 
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