You can't see me..can you? by cherokee69

Photography • Macro • posted on Nov 30, 2004

Open full image in new tab Zoom on image

Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.

Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.

Description

Just when the leaves started to change colors for fall, I found this guy on a dogwood tree in my yard. Looked like he was trying to mimic the changing colors of the tree. Saddled or Maple Prominent (Heterocampa guttivitta) "Notodontid caterpillars are among the most handsome and behaviorally interesting of the eastern forest caterpillars. Several genera are ornamented with fleshy or horny knobs, others with abundant downy setae. When provoked, many adopt defensive postures, and a few back up their displays with a squirt of acid from a "neck" gland on the lower side of the first thoracic segment. All bear secondary setae on or above the midabdominal prolegs. The anal prolegs are always modified, either being reduced in size or elongated and taillike. The crochets of 1 length are arranged in a row paralleling the body axis. Prominent caterpillars tend to stay on foliage by day. Some of the most conspicuous species are gregarious. Host associations can be helpful in identification as most species are specialized in diet. Color patterns are highly variable in some species." ...from The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center's Web site Thanks for all your wonderful comments on my last upload, "Honey Mushrooms" Many thanks, Cherokee