CLOSED: Why is this Caterpillar Carrying his own TV antenna ?

Does any one know what this Caterpillar is Called ?
I have over 200 Pics of his Progress .
They live on my Canary Palms .
Their sting is three times more painful than a bee sting .

This one is preparing to build his Cocoon .
Also they don't have legs like most caterpillars .
This one moves like a Slug .
I might add a few more Pics if there is any interest .

That looks like one of the Slug Moths, Calcarifera ordinata:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~don/larvae/lima/ordinat1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~don/larvae/lima/ordinat.html&h=366&w=401&sz=27&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=kO_gUwqdDJR1tM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcalcarifera%2Bordinata%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

We have some from the same family....Saddleback Moth....and wow..can they sting! I was stung earlier this year and thought it was a snake bite! I put him in a cage and fed him until he pupated but he hasn't emerged. Good thing they are slug-like, I would hate to be chased by one.

They have such pretty markings too.

Great pics!

This message was edited Oct 3, 2007 1:32 AM

Wow----what a gorgeous caterpillar that is. He looks like a work of art. I'd like to see more pictures,
Ginger. It sure looks like the same one that fly_girl is talking about. SheVerne

Great observation fly_girl .
It does look the same .
Even some of the Pic's look the same ?

Wow he is gorgeous !!

Close up of side .
Yes 2vernes looks like an artists palette .

This was the small glass case I kept it in till it cocooned .

And this is the somewhat messy cocoon it finally spun .

How long have you had this beauty? Well, I mean until he turned into his not so pretty cocoon. Will he be a beauty or a beast when it emerges? Can't wait to see. SheVerne

You can see the moth in fly_girl's Link above .
I kept it like a Silk Worm for about three weeks .
The cocoon's are now more than 4 months old .
And I'm still waiting .

My Saddleback cocoon looks similar and it's been that way for about 2 months. I'm starting to think it may not have survived but won't give up until next spring.

So, I'm waiting with you ginger...let me know when yours emerges!

Yes fly_girl ,
Mine still feels and looks solid .
I'm sure if it had died it would have collapsed and looked Poorly .
Don Herbison-Evans from the link you posted up , tells me it will take a long time .
And he is waiting for more Pic's .
So I'll keep this Site posted on any updates . Kell

Good one Kell. Can we have the images in BugFiles please. I have created an entry for it here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/4914/

Ken

all these inquiring minds WANNA KNOW! Keep posting those pics!

OMG, just posted for ID on the coolest grasshopper I ever saw, and then saw your post. Definately the coolest caterpillar on the planet!

Dave

Thanks franj ,
I do feel so lucky to have these wonderful creatures visit me .
On with the next one .
Is this a friend or a foe ?

Kell,
That one is more friend than foe. It is an Assassin Bug from the family Reduviidae (order Hemiptera). It looks pretty close to a late instar of the
Common Assassin Bug - Pristhesancus plagipennis: http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_bugs/CommonAssa.htm

Assassin bugs feed on other insects, so can be beneficial, but this one is also called Bee Killer, so if you keep bees, it might still be a foe!

Kennedy

I have some very interesting Pic's of him sucking the juice out of Caterpillars .
Do you have it on the BF ?