Ewwww is this Creepy or What?

reply to post by silo13


Is it wrong that I think it's kind of cute?

It does look like the monkey slug, and I really hope it's not a mutilated bat, it's just sick what people do to animals.

It is hard to see on my crappy monitor, but it looks kind of like a helmet lobster, they live in rice paddies all over Japan, I liked to catch them and creep out all the locals

Gemwolf nailed this one! It's a Hag Moth Caterpillar (Phobetron pithecium)

Wouldn't touch one though, the hairs can irritate.

The larva is distinctive, with no close analogues although it may be mistaken for the shed skin of a hairy spider or leaf debris. It has six pairs of curly projections, three long and three short from the flattened body, each densely covered in hairs. According to Wagner (2005), who experimented on himself, the hairs do not sting, contrary to popular belief. However, susceptibility can vary among humans and it may produce a reaction in some people. Some members of the family Limacodidae do sting. Like all limacodids, the legs are shortened and the prolegs are reduced to suction cups. The 'arms' can fall off without harming the caterpillar. Maximum length of larvae, 2.5 cm.

en.wikipedia.org...

any thread that starts with ewww is this creepy or what is something that i have to steer clear from cuz i gross out easily, but i always look anyway. and it just so happens im totally scared of insects, so it was a double whammy. good post though, i'm sure you'll be responsible for me not sleeping cuz i'll be thinking bugs are crawling around me.

Yeah I wasn't convinced by the hag moth pictures until I saw this video.. What are the protrusions on its back for? They seem useless.

reply to post by SantaClaus


I wouldn't say useless. If that creature kept still, it would be difficult for a predator to eat. It looks like a branch sticking out of a tree. Classic Evolution at it's finest.

reply to post by SantaClaus

One species, the hag moth (Phobetron pithecium), derives its name from the larva’s fleshy appendages, which are covered with brown stinging hairs resembling disheveled or tousled hair. When the caterpillar spins its cocoon the appendages are transferred to the outside of the cocoon, where they serve for protection and camouflage.

www.britannica.com...=ref291704

Defense, protection, and camouflage. Very awesome!!

That is just amazing!!!! I have never in my life seen anything like that! Thanks so much for this thread!