Skip to main content
Close

Stinging Nettle Slug Caterpillar

Limacodidae

Photo by Dan Doucette
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

23.5965, 101.998

Field Notes

Description:

insane looking caterpillar! just over an inch long, lime green body, 8 brown hairlike spike projections, pink stripe down its back, also known as a cup moth

Habitat:

forest near cultivated land

Notes:

I spotted this caterpillar feeding on wild ginger while doing a hike around the Yuangyang rice terraces in southwest Yunnan province.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (22)

Thanks Mayra, Eva and Carol, sorry I missed these comments last month. Thanks for those links Nina, I see now what you mean. It hasn't grown out the crazy spikes as those yet. Martin suspected cup moth as well, I should have added the family name back then. Still searching for the genera and species, I didn't see that in the links.
Yours appears to be an immature version of the first in the series in this link: http://www.alyoneed.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3 and here http://www.flickr.com/photos/itchydogimages/7471850964/
How did I miss this one! A fascinating little caterpillar. Nice find Dan.
I'm sure there are a lot of species that don't get much attention. It is exciting to see something few have seen. I know I still have some other caterpillars that have remained unidentified.
Its great to see different ones like this. There must be more species around that don't get noticed or photographed or identified. It's actually rather exciting when I cannot identify a creature like this one.
Thanks martinl. It does look to be a cup-moth. I saw another more similar to the link you provided. I will let you know when I upload it.
Nice spotting dan. Yours is a cup-moth similar to this link. You can see the four pairs of bristles that correspond to the four pairs of horns, and the lateral bristles. http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/science/Evolutionary_Ecology_Research/Ecology_of_Cumberland_Plain_Woodland/woodland_wildlife/invertebrate_animals/doratifera_vulnerans . I have bred these out to reveal the cup-like cocoon and the dull adult. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7962916 I have not found your exact species.
What a star, I love him. Looks like he has paintbrush attachments!
Thanks everyone. I do see the resemblance to the green oak slug Sarah, but like you said, no exact matches.
He looks like a "green oak slug" to me, however, I couldn't find his exact type while I was searching. He's a beauty, btw...
That is one awesome-looking caterpillar!
Cool looking little guy!

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon