ANT?

This is so fascinating..!!! Such a complex relationship here... :-)

How fascinating! Yes, please do add this to the mission!

I think this should be put in the "Symbiotic Relationships" Mission.

Unfortunately these caterpillars are out of my geographical range! Maybe Martin has some IDeas. I am pretty sure it is a Lycaenidae/Hairstreak caterpillar, since these and Riodinidae are quite famous for this relationship. Looks like a Philiris sp., but I am not sure... http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/lyca/lyca-cats.html

Interesting spotting! I do not think that it is a poor caterpillar. This might actually be an interesting example of quite a close relationship between a caterpillar and ants. The ants are protecting the caterpillar in exchange for nutritional liquids. Any predator of the caterpillar will be attacked by the ants. The caterpillar will attrack the ants by some kind of "singing". http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8520599 http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8905078

Is there a story of what they are doing with the caterpilar?

Poor caterpillar! You should add this to the Arthropod Interactions mission!