Little Monsters - Part 21: Great Green Caterpillars!

Working those abs!

It is one of my favourite caterpillars because it reminds me of the 'Brain Bug' from Starship troopers, with its tiny little head, though it's far more mobile than the alien bug in the movie.

The tiny little legs held before it as though planning for world domination! So monstrously endearing!

When disturbed it will hold fast to the branch and whip its head back and forth, usually enough to deter most insects and even small birds. For larger predators it relies on its colour to hide it as it feeds.

I have posted about the hawkmoth caterpillars but didn't include this particular caterpillar, it will transform itself into a large tree bark camouflaged hawkmoth. It's quite a change from the vibrant green it displays as a caterpillar!

Read more about Hawkmoths in the previous post: Little Monsters Part 17

Originally I had thought the green caterpillar above was a swallowtail butterfly larva, but upon reviewing the images noticed it had a large spike on the back end, a tell-tale sign that it was in fact a hawkmoth!

Swallowtail butterflies are large active butterflies found all over the world and I'm certain that these are the caterpillars that featured in the children's book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", a fantastic book by the way!
The caterpillars are very colourful, many with large eye spots or highly contrasting body patterns.

Dining on parsely and carrots, plants often disliked by other insects due to their strong taste, while young, they are somewhat limited to the softer parts of the plant.

However, in just 3 days it managed to double in size!

It's also interesting to see how the patterns on the caterpillar change as it grows!

A locamotive that devours its tracks! Full steam ahead!

I had lots of parsely which I rarely use for cooking, so I just leave the caterpillars to grow and develop into their beautiful adult selves. There is a slight or not so slight difference in the patterns of the larva but the above grub will pupate into the black species:

Black Swallowtail Butterfly:

While others will transform into a bright yellow adult.

Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly:

Yes, that is the same patch of cosmos blossoms that is featured in many of my photos, just like on the savanah, it serves as a watering hole for many species. It blossoms throughout the warmer parts of the year from spring well into autumn. In fact it's still going strong!

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Also, if you like macro photography, check out some of the earlier posts in this series.