#uraba lugens

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.

This guy is a Gum-Leaf Skeletoniser, and they wear their old heads as a hat each time they molt because why not.

Nine of Horns /Gum-leaf Skeletoniser (Uraba lugens)

Upright keywords: Despair, Guilt, Mental Anguish, Trauma

Reverse keywords: Brighter Perspective, Hope, Optimism, Reaching Out

A haunting vision of the depths of suffering and despair, the Nine of Horns speaks to the dimmest recesses of the human experience. Confronting us with the specter of our deepest and darkest nightmares, this card encourages us to face our fears, acknowledge our worries, and seek ways to alleviate our mental suffering. It is a warning of the power of negative thoughts to disarm even the strongest of spirits.

The gum-leaf skeletoniser moth is known for their bizarre molting habits as larva. With each molting cycle, the head portion of the exoskeleton remains attached to the body, resulting in a gradual increase in size throughout their lifespan - creating a layered effect that has gained it the clever nickname, the mad-hatterpillar. This adaptation defends against external threats, much like the psychological armor individuals may construct to protect themselves from harm. With their macabre appearance and voracious appetite, these strange young moths are a potent metaphor for the consuming nature of anxiety and despair.

To emerge from great torment requires supreme courage - to release the pangs of regret and purge the darkness and negativity within we must look into the face of fear and make of our suffering into a teacher of hope.

The Lesson Of This Card: "I have the power to purge the darkness and let the light back in."

It looks a little bit freaky!

This caterpillar is one of the more creepy-but-cute caterpillars, in my own personal opinion, and one of my favourites because this caterpillar wears its old faces as a hat as it sheds! It sort of reminds me of some skull-collector-like critter, which may look pretty freaky to those who haven’t seen them before. It makes it a little easier to tell which instar they’re up to! 

This caterpillar belongs to the Australian Nolinae/Nolidae family and is scientifically known as the Uraba Lugens. This caterpillar likes to eat gum leaves and it leaves the leafs skeleton behind, so it is also known as the Gum-Leaf Skeletoniser... Which sort of maintains its skeleton-skull-collecting sort of a visual, doesn’t it? (Sort of...?)

The Nine of Horns weaves a narrative of anguish, torment, and the relentless grip of fear that gnaws at the soul. It is a card that speaks to the darkest recesses of the human experience, confronting us with the specter of our deepest anxieties and darkest nightmares. This card encourages us to confront our anxieties, acknowledge our worries, and seek ways to alleviate our mental suffering. It invites us to explore the depths of our innermost fears and the transformative power that lies dormant within them.

The larval stage of Uraba lugens, or the gum-leaf skeletoniser moth, is sometimes called "mad hatterpillar”. They earned this nickname due to their bizarre molting habits. With each molting cycle, the head portion of the exoskeleton remains attached to the body, resulting in a gradual increase in size throughout their lifespan, creating a layered effect that somewhat resembles a hat. This adaptation defends against external threats, much like the psychological armor individuals may construct to protect themselves from harm. With their eerie appearance and voracious appetite, these animals serve as a potent metaphor for the consuming nature of anxiety and despair.

Like the relentless gnawing of this insatiable creature, the Nine of Horns pierces the veil of tranquility, plunging us into a realm of relentless worry and unyielding despair. It is a card that speaks to the crippling weight of insomnia, the torment of nightmares, and the paralyzing grip of anxiety that threatens to suffocate the soul. Yet, amidst the darkness, there lies a glimmer of hope, a flickering flame of resilience that refuses to be extinguished. In the haunting beauty of the Uraba lugens larva, we find a mirror to our own struggles and a testament to the transformative power of confronting our fears, embracing the darkness within, and emerging stronger, wiser, and more resilient than before.

Prints available on Redbubble and Inprnt