Hawaiian caterpillar with a death claw (video)

[proper_tea]

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[cacoseraph]

i was just reading about these in NatGeo. cool little inch worms

 

[super-pede]

that is awesome.I want one now.too bad they're in hawaii

 

[Offkillter]

Evolution is truly fascinating.

 

[xhexdx]

I'd see those back when I lived in Hawaii. Pretty neat.

Thanks for posting the video.

 

[H. laoticus]

That's pretty neat and I did not expect caterpillars to do that.
Thanks for sharing

 

[Moltar]

I saw a longer special on these 'pillars. Apparently there is a shortage of small ambush predators there. Not a lot of spiders in that niche, no tarantulas or scorpions, etc. Caterpillars evolved to fill that void. (Or so the TV says)

Thanks for posting, love those things!

 

[zonbonzovi]

Anyone have the latin or know if they're native to HI?

Edit: Eupithecia genus

Citation: GeoJournal 7 (6): 549-556. DOI: 10.1007/BF00218529