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Our backyard monster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 10:33 pm
by Gob
I’ve seen some weird and wonderful creatures since I’ve been living here in Aus, (human and animal). But in the garden today I came across this monster, which really takes the cake, biscuit the whole sweet trolley in fact! It’s some sort of caterpillar on steroids and acid.
It was about 5 inches long and thicker than my thumb.
Knowing the way of Australian creatures I thought it may be poisonous. I did try to get Hen to touch it to find out, but she declined. Truth be told, it was truly beautiful, and had me gamboling around the garden like an excited child.
It's one of these
Better images, click the magnifying glass to view;
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:07 pm
by Sue U
More important medically, the bristles of caterpillars and those of the cocoon break off when touched. The bristles easily penetrate skin, causing irritation and occasionally an allergic reaction.
Hands off then!
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:33 am
by The Hen
My thought exactly. even if the little bugger wasn't liable to cause an irritation I can't imagine why I would want to terrify it so.
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:54 am
by kristina
Wow!
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:21 am
by rubato
Cute caterpiggle! Have you had any luck identifying it?
What does it turn into? Something beetl-y? Or sting-y?
yrs,
rubato
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:28 am
by Crackpot
Gob I was sure that this was going to be one of your incessant anal sex threads.
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:07 am
by The Hen
rubato wrote:Cute caterpiggle! Have you had any luck identifying it?
What does it turn into? Something beetl-y? Or sting-y?
yrs,
rubato
It turns into something mothy.
It was a White Stemmed Gum Moth.
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:39 am
by Sue U
Given the size, I'd expect Mothra.
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:11 am
by loCAtek
Way cool, I think tomato worms get that big.
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:47 am
by Daisy
I don't want one of those fuckers flapping round my bedside lamp!!
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:58 am
by @meric@nwom@n
Crackpot wrote:Gob I was sure that this was going to be one of your incessant anal sex threads.
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:06 am
by Aard Vark
If they do get in they sound like a chinook in the bedroom.
On the up side I am told they are very tasty when cooked over a camp fire. The catapillers have an eggy tast the moth on the other hand. On a stick and burn off the wings and fine hairs before eating. I have not tired them so if you can try it and let us know what it is like.
Bush tucker a real delacassy (spell check someone?)
Re: Our backyard monster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 1:18 pm
by rubato
The Hen wrote:rubato wrote:Cute caterpiggle! Have you had any luck identifying it?
What does it turn into? Something beetl-y? Or sting-y?
yrs,
rubato
It turns into something mothy.
It was a White Stemmed Gum Moth.
Oh, too bad. I was rooting for beetle-y; a nice big crunchy one.
We have a very similar sphynx moth here in S. Calif where my parents live:
The cats used to go nuts trying to grab them out of the air around the backdoor light.
yrs,
rubato