A month ago we featured a well-camouflaged stick insect. Today’s photo shows a well-camouflaged caterpillar that also resembles a stick.
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The photo was taken on a green stem, but on an older, woodier stem the caterpillar would be even more effectively hidden.
The caterpillar is about 60mm long. Close observation reveals two “horns” flattened against the top of the body at the head (left) end, and a projection at the rear resembling a stub of a twig.
When disturbed, this caterpillar can raise and swell its head, with the two “horns” erect, and startling blue and black markings displayed between two head segments.
There is a fringe of tiny hairs all along the edge of the body, almost covering the legs.
The caterpillar belongs to the gum snout moth. The moth gets its name because of its “snout like” head features.
It is very much a caterpillar of the gum trees, feeding on a variety of eucalypt leaves. The example pictured was on a planted blue gum. It feeds mostly at night, resting unseen during the day against the stem of its food tree.
Its fleshy body can be redder and more mottled than shown in the photo. Other examples are greyer.
The adult snout moth is large, with a hairy body and rusty orange on the wings.
Like other well-camouflaged insects, these caterpillars are probably more numerous than we realise. Today’s example was found during sawing operations.
METALLIC BLOWFLY
One of the most striking large flies is the large metallic golden-green blowfly, three times the size of the common blowfly.
It seems to be uncommon around Ballarat, and is usually seen singly, always attracting attention when sighted.
This eye-catching bright metallic green fly is sometimes known as the green parasitic fly or green rutilia fly. Its abdomen is comparatively short and wide.
There are a few very similar species found in Victoria, so it’s difficult to positively identify them.
Like most flies they are active and alert, seldom allowing more than a short inspection before flying away. Despite their appearance, these are not true blowflies. They are parasitic, laying eggs on beetle larvae, rather than on rotting flesh. Adults feed on nectar.
A recent report of one of these flies from Learmonth mentions a wingspan of about 30mm, and a “shortish, extra fat abdomen”.
Regarding size, “it was much larger than the usual blowfly and the green flies found at dead animals and flyblown sheep.”
Its colour and size certainly make it an eye-catching insect.
