Macro Headshot Series - 5- Sphinx Moth Caterpillar

This is the face of an eating machine!
Zoom in by clicking to see the 4 pairs of eyes located just above the legs in this photo!

Butterflies and moths go on of the most radical transformations when transforming from a larval form to the adult form. As such, each body type is extremely specialized. This post deals with the caterpillar: the larval form. The only things it is good at are eating and camouflage. It eats and eats and eats, using a head that is almost entirely mouth and the muscles for the jaws; storing the energy as fat in a long cylindrical body, the most efficient shape to do so, it's practically a silo!

Click on the photos to see the big grub up close and personal!

This is one of two large caterpillars that were on the flowers (since relocated, hopefully they are doing well). The first two pictures show a defensive posture, it's pulled its head and front section with the true legs (which will go on to become the legs of the flying moth) to protect them with the bulk of it's fat body.

Here the second of the two caterpillars has stretched out, searching for tasty parts of the flowers and leaves:

And when it pupates, it will transform into a sleek, fast moth:

This particular moth is nocturnal unlike the related but diurnal:

Hummingbird Hawkmoth [8 photos]

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Macro Headshot Series

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