Palm Bob

Worldwide, a fair number of palm species have been recorded as larval host plants for the Palm Bob. The same is true in Singapore, and two of them have so far been identified as the Coconut Palm and the Lady Palm. Both palm species are rather commonly cultivated in parks and gardens across the island. The caterpillars of the Palm Bob feed on the leaves of the host plant in all instars, and live in leaf shelters constructed by cutting and folding leaf fragment on a palm frond. As the caterpillar grows in size later through progressing instars, it will abandon the current one and construct a larger one to accommodate its increased body size/length.