The flying caterpillar ! Delias hyparete

[wollastoni]

Delias hyparete is a common and wonderful Pieridae of SE Asia. Its caterpillars are rather easy to spot as they are gregarious and rather big.

I have noticed a behaviour that I did not know for this species, caterpillars can hang on a silk "fil" (no idea of the English word sorry) probably to avoid predators.

Macrophotos give you the impression of a flying caterpillar:

Thank you to this model for this very cooperating photoshoot, I hope he has avoided his predator.

Let's also share a picture of the adult for those of you who may not know this species

Hope you will like this

[cabintom]

Jan 10, 2015 10:58:58 GMT wollastoni said:

I have noticed a behaviour that I did not know for this species, caterpillars can hang on a silk "fil" (no idea of the English word sorry) probably to avoid predators.

"fil" = "thread"

I've seen a small tree full of caterpillars hanging like this... I couldn't guess at what they were doing.

Tom

[wollastoni]

Thanks Tom !

They were maybe avoiding ants or other predators.

[Adam Cotton]

Presumably they then climb back up the thread to get back to the Loranthus they are feeding on.

I assume this is Delias hyparete metarete rather than ssp. indica which is here in Chiang Mai.

Adam.

[wollastoni]

You assume right. ssp metarete has less orange than ssp indica.