Oct 31, 2023
for halloween I am
gumleaf skeletoniser
(Uraba lugens)
I made cards to hand out so people remember what I am... it reads
I am a
GUMLEAF SKELETONISER
(Uraba lugens)
This caterpillar is a common pest on eucalyptus in Australia. Every time it sheds its exoskeleton, the head portion stays attached to the top of the new head. Over time, it sheds increasingly larger exoskeleton shells, which build upon each other.
Why do they do this?
... to appear bigger and more threatening to predators.
... to provide a false target for predators to strike at.
... to deflect attacks by shaking their heads vigorously.
have you ever been a bug for Halloween? I want to know about it!!
