Thread by @BSGGoettingen

It´s #ACaterpillarWeekend, another great Hashtag Challenge by the @Britnatureguide!

Our first contribution: Citheronia regalis from South America - do not eat!😅

Not just butterflies are beautiful - their larvae at least as well!

📷 Toni Kasiske

Desperate longing for butterflies in winter?!

Butterfly expert Toni Kasiske from the @BSGGoettingen gives tips in his videos 😀

Example for #ACaterpillarWeekend: "How to search for the White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) in autumn/winter"

Spurge Hawk-Moth (Hyles euphorbiae).

The caterpillar absorbs the toxins of the food plants and signals by its colour that it should under no circumstances be eaten.🤢

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Svenja Meyer

Eacles penelope

From Peru. Or from outer space?

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Actias dubernardi from China.

This beauty belongs to the Saturniidae. As an adult moth it has a distict sexual dimorphism, the male wings with a shade of purple, females greenish. Wingspan up to 15 cm - quite large!

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷Toni Kasiske

Automeria innoxia from Peru.

Some caterpillars say: "Do not eat".☝️

And other caterpillars say: "Do not touch". ☝️☝️☝️

Bad things will happen if you do.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Poplar Admiral (Limenitis populi) from Germany.

One of the largest - and most beautiful - butterflies in Europe.

The caterpillars only feeds on Poplars (Populus spp.), mainly Aspen (Populus tremula).

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Arsenura rebeli from Peru.

The caterpillar of this large Saturniidae is especially beautiful - look at the feet!😍

Butterfly expert Toni Kasiske has done a lot of field research in recent years and was among others in South America.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

Cerodirphia speciosa from Peru.

Saturniids (Saturniidae) are a species rich family and contains some of the largest moths in the world - and some of the most beautiful caterpillars!

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Can you spot the caterpillar from this Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia)?

There are basically two strategies: Either you are poisonous, colourful and nobody wants to eat you, or you are tasty and have to camouflage yourself perfectly.

#ACaterpillarWeekend

📷Toni Kasiske

Crinodes spec. from Peru.

Were any colours not considered by evolution?😁

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Puss Moth (Cerura vinula) from Germany.

Another species where the caterpillar is even more spectacular than the adult moth!

In German this species is called "Great Forktail" 😊

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Unknown species from Peru - does anyone have a guess? 😀

Sometimes you stand in front of a caterpillar and think: "Extremely cool, but what the hell is that?"

It's reassuring that this sometimes happens even to experts.😁

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Sometimes adult butterflies & moths are very difficult to find - a problem if you want to record them for nature conservation reasons.

Caterpillars & eggs are sometimes easier!

Purple Hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus)
#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) from Germany.

The caterpillars of this beautiful species feed almost exclusively on Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), rarely on Weigelia.

The threatened species is found in humid forests.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) from Peru.

This Saturniidae is quite a thing: The caterpillars can grow up to 10 cm and the adult moth can have a wingspan up to 17.5 cm. It is in regional decline and needs protection.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Yellow Tiger Moth (Arctia flavia) from Switzerland.

This member of the Arctiinae is found in the Alps above the tree level and is potentially endangered by climate change.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Prothysana felderi from Peru.

The larvae from this member of the Bombycidae are known as "Shag-carpet caterpillars" - not entirely inaccurate. 😂

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Dirphia brevifurca from Peru.

This Saturniidae feeds on a wide range of plants. In moths farming, the species can be fed with blackberry.

Adult moths show an obvious sexual dimorphism, with females much darker.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske

Purple Emperor (Apatura iris) from Germany.

Master of disguise - the cute caterpillars of the Purple Emperor are difficult to find. They feed on sallows (especially Salix caprea) and, more rarely, on poplars.

#ACaterpillarWeekend @Britnatureguide

📷 Toni Kasiske