#anthelidae

✥ Unknown Anthelid caterpillar

Very similar in appearence to Anthela inornata.

Photo by Lisa Millar, in Wamuran near Moreton Bay. An Anthelid moth native to Queensland, where the caterpillars eat gum leaves, and pupate in leaf litter.

An update with mobile pics for now on the two Hairy Mary caterpillars (Anthela Varia) that I found on New Year’s Day!

They have shed twice since the 1st of January and currently measure in at 5cm in length. In time they will be twice the length before they create their cocoons.

We’ve noticed that they still feed well on gum leaves from various rough-bark textured gum trees, and their appetite is such that we seek fresh leaves on a daily basis.

These are the most beautiful caterpillars to me, with their long spines, that I just simply call fluff, that look like soft waves as they walk. Their little faces with their anthelidae “sad eyes” appearance brings me back to when I was 7 and found one for the first time. That little face just made me want to care for them so much. Though their actual eyes are very different to the pattern on their faces, some pareidolia united a 7 year old girl with the wonderful world of caterpillars.

I’ve finally found them!! I found them!!! So many years of searching and I found them!!

I’ve finally found Hairy Mary caterpillars on the base of Urambi Hills in the ACT! (Excuse the mobile photo, my camera is charging...)

Hairy Mary is the name given to the Anthela Varia and they are very elusive. Living on barky gum trees that camouflage them well, they eat gum leaves and can grow quite big. They’re an Australian native and about 70% of the population will react to their fluff. Luckily for me, I’m in the 30% that doesn’t react so I can very carefully handle them when cleaning their enclosure.

I’ve only encountered these 3 times in my 31 years.

The first time was in the Blue Mountains at Walerawang NSW, I was 7 and named it Jack. It was nearly as long as my forearm and turned into a big, beautiful cocoon... but the cocoon disappeared from the enclosure and I never got a clear answer why but I was devastated.

The second time was in Bredbo Park NSW. I found 2-3 but didn’t want to make a mistake in raising them. After what happened last time, I put them back in the tree and left them.

Since starting this blog, it’s been a main mission to find these caterpillars and it took about 6 years of constant searching! But now I have them and I’ll be taking many photos and videos to add to the small collection of data that the internet has, raising them until they’re moths and releasing them back to Urambi Hills.

I found this beautiful moth outside the kitchen window not looking very good. She seemed to be on her way out so I brought her in and she spent about a week living on my herbs in the kitchen and keeping me company as I cooked.

I’m not sure why she had issues with flying and seemed to not want to go anywhere, but she seemed content with being indoors away from the cold.

I’ve yet to look into what she is exactly, but if anyone knows, let me know! All I know is that the wings were very beautiful and she laid eggs on my rosemary plant.