"if I cover myself in lichen, no one will notice I'm a caterpillar"

✤ Enispa prolectus - Erebidae

What seperates this species from the Lichen-Mimicking Eucyclodes caterpillar, is its shape and size. Enispa P. is roughly twice the size of the Eucyclodes caterpillar, and also does not have any spines along its side.

This caterpillar, like the Eucyclodes, covers itself in its food plant, lichen. It moves incredibly slowly, and wiggles to resemble lichen being blown around in the wind (presumably).

Known food plant/s: Lichen, as mentioned above.

The adult moth

Lepidoptera study - 07/01/21 - Undetermined Lichen-mimicking eucyclodes caterpillar

This caterpillar is some-what famous, presumably after a Daily Mail article was written about it (Here’s the image, to avoid ad blocker trouble). Though the specimen in the article is green, and more fern-like, I believe this is the same species as the one in the images above.

I have seen the green versions of this caterpillar before, on the same stump. It’s possible the caterpillar uses whatever crusty lichen it finds to cover itself with. The caterpillar is usually fern-like in shape, being wider around the middle. It’s also perfectly still and quiet, barely moving, or responding to being touched. When the caterpillar does start moving, it, like inchworms, starts to wiggle around as it loops (presumably to mimic lichen blowing around in the wind).

The closest species I can find, is Enispa prolectus. However this species doesn’t appear to be a eucyclodes caterpillar... So I’m quite stumped.

The lichen-mimicking eucyclodes caterpillar in action!

There is some order to its seemingly random movements. The caterpillar will stop and start, going back and forth before moving. These backs and forths make the caterpillar blend in perfectly with its surroundings!