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UV Cup Moth Caterpillar

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Description

Taken using UV led torch light. Look like christmas tree :)

Taken at night in Singapore.

Quote from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limacodi…
Limacodidae or Euclidae is a family of moths in the superfamily Zygaenoidea or the Cossoidea;[1] the placement is in dispute. They are often called slug moths because their caterpillars bear a distinct resemblance to slugs.[2] They are also called cup moths because of the shape of their cocoons.[2]

The larvae are often liberally covered in protective stinging hairs, and are mostly tropical, but occur worldwide, with about 1000 described species and probably many more as yet undescribed species.

The larvae are typically very flattened, and instead of prolegs they have suckers.[3] The thoracic legs are reduced, but always present and they locomote by rolling waves rather than walking with individual prolegs. They even use a lubricant, a kind of liquified silk, to locomote on.[4]

Larvae might be confused with the similarly flattened larvae of Lycaenid butterflies, but those caterpillars have prolegs, are always longer than they are wide, and are always densely covered in short or long setae (hair-like bristles). The head is extended during feeding in the Lycaenids, but remains covered in Limacodidae.

Many Limacodidae larvae are green and fairly smooth (e.g. Yellow shouldered slug, pictured), but others have tubercles with urticating hairs and may have bright warning colours. The sting can be quite potent,[5] causing severe pain.

The larval head is concealed under folds.[1] First instars skeletonize the leaf (avoiding small veins and eating mostly one surface), but later instars eat the whole leaf, usually from the underside.[3] Many species seem to feed on several genera of host plants.[1]

Research on Limacodidae larvae in temperate forests of eastern North America has found that they prefer glabrous leaves, presumably because the trichomes of pubescent leaves interfere with their movement.
Image size
960x640px 530.73 KB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Shutter Speed
25/1 second
Aperture
F/16.0
Focal Length
100 mm
ISO Speed
400
Date Taken
Aug 16, 2014, 12:20:25 AM
Sensor Size
6mm
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Comments40
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Weird story how I got here-- And I know when I start a comment with that I should cut it short, but such a beautiful picture! It makes me think the top of a Christmas tree gave way to another galaxy and a scissor happy kid found their way to some boxes of red satin ribbon. And that you may have another watcher soon....