12 January 2012

What caterpillar is that?

| johnboy
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caterpillar

Osman has sent in this picture of a caterpillar found on his mailbox last night in the hope the hivemind can inform him.

And what better to ask than a hive mind?

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colourful sydney racing identity1:14 pm 13 Jan 12

It looks like ahat we used to call spitfires in Melbourne, I was horrified when I moved to Canberra and came across the black, group moving variety.

GardeningGirl1:13 pm 13 Jan 12

timeeh said :

I think you’ll find that spitfires are a much smaller grub that generally gather in a bunch and hide on gumtrees, and when annoyed they spit stuff at you.

Oh yes, and smaller, but you didn’t tend to think about individual size when confronted with a whole group crossing the footpath in front of you! Impressive sight.

GardeningGirl1:04 pm 13 Jan 12

What a fantastic critter!
What we called spitfires were black and always moved in big groups.

I think you’ll find that spitfires are a much smaller grub that generally gather in a bunch and hide on gumtrees, and when annoyed they spit stuff at you. And as for touching the hairy caterpillars, did it once as a kid, will never do it again…. It itches for days fom what i remember…

Yeah I thought as kids we called them spitfires too. I’m guessing from the pain the spines can cause.

Gungahlin Al9:18 am 13 Jan 12

A few of them be munching away on my grape vines at present. But the vines are growing fast enough to not be bothered…
Good to be warned about the prickles though. Thanks RA.

a spitfire

I remember as a child, our dog touched one of their cocoons with his nose and howled with pain. Then he pawed at his face for about 10 minutes. We had a gum tree in the yard and had heaps of them. I used to throw them over the neighbours fence lol

ThatUniStudent said :

Sure enough, from this time last year: http://the-riotact.com/what-be-this-dragon/35131
Such short memories we have.

+1

A similar thought entered my head – “wasn’t this asked here last year”.

Sounds like JB had a fairly massive new year’s party and has dissolved a few memory cells! 😉

ThatUniStudent3:18 pm 12 Jan 12

Sure enough, from this time last year: http://the-riotact.com/what-be-this-dragon/35131
Such short memories we have.

ThatUniStudent3:14 pm 12 Jan 12

I think that could be a white stemmed gum moth caterpillar. Chelepteryx Collesi.

colourful sydney racing identity3:12 pm 12 Jan 12

poetix said :

It’s definitely the mail of the species.

*golf clap*

It’s definitely the mail of the species.

I’m curious about this too. I’ve seen three or four of these monsters around our place. By far the biggest caterpillars I’ve ever seen in this town.

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