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Unable to fetch location details at this time.Wildlife Spotting
11.5815, 122.788
Field Notes
Description:
These are actually the caterpillars of my previous unknown moth spotting. The eggs hatches 5 days after it was laid by the mother moth. The caterpillars feed at night from leaf to another leaf by group, or by batch. The batch members are only those that were laid by the mother on the same leaf. Those that were laid by the same moth on a different leaf will belong to another group and they don't inter-mix. After transferring to a new leaf, they make a very fine and sticky silken web blanket upon the underside of the leaf where they feed underneath it. This Web blanket provides a very effective deterrent and protection for these very fragile caterpillars against various predators especially the ferocious weaver ants.
After 10 days, the caterpillars then chooses a sturdy healthy leaf, and again they make a web blanket and pull it together to curl the leaf to encase and give them protective shelter while in a pupa phase. The pupa phase is about seven days then the adult moth hatches, mates and the same cycle is repeated.
The caterpillar is about 1.5 to 2 mm. They feed on the fleshy underside of Tylophora ovata leaves and leave the filmy coating of the upperside.
Habitat:
These caterpillars avoid direct strong sunlight and feeds only at night.
Notes:
The inset of the second picture of this spotting shows a batch of egg and the adult moth ( does Project Noah allows this format ?). Ive been observing this insect for a year now since its hostplant ( which happens to be the hostplant of several butterflies) grows in our own backyard.
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