Here’s a tweet containing a photo that itself contains a caterpillar. Can you spot it? I’ll put the enlarged photo below:
枝の生存を確認 pic.twitter.com/wpkGk7LY6Y
— mouuuusa (@muakbno) March 16, 2021
I can’t be sure about this—the mimicry is fantastic—but I’ve circled the putative caterpillar in the reveal below. Click on “read more”:
Okay, I’ve put what I think is the caterpillar between the two arrows (thanks to Matthew for sending the tweet).
I’m thinking lower and shorter…
I was thinking the lowest branch by the wrong end of the lower arrow. The little lowest branch looks like it has feet to hold onto the larger branch.
That’s what I thought. That short twig is very close to an existing bifurcation and and doesn’t seem to be properly joined on.
I immediately looked for a clear demarcation between stick and stick to start – viz., feet. The lower one looks clearly like cute caterpillar piggies gripping the branch. That is, unlike any other tree branch segment-to-segment joint.
Amazing!
The smallest lowest side branch has feet, The arrows just indicate a crossing of twigs.
After blowing it up, I have changed my initial color-based agreement with your arrows, and agree with the others about the feet of the lower branch gripping the stalk.
Got it. They are tricky! And I agree with the others. Its on the lower twig. Here is a similar picture:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/522065781786214315/
I’m in agreement with the others. There is a leaf scar and bud on the right end of PCCE’s “caterpillar” but I don’t see that on the lower one. Plus the “feet”. This post calls it a “twig-mimic caterpillar” in the genus Lytrosis. The feet are much clearer in the photo on the post:
https://focusingonwildlife.com/news/twig-mimic-caterpillar/
Its texture gave the animal away. But I remain clueless about its shape and can’t make out its heads or tails.
Beg to differ, lower branch attached different, did you do this on purpose?
No, I didn’t see it (I blame lack of coffee). You’re right, as was another reader, and I’ll fix it.