What is it? Where does it come from? Where is it going? Here it comes out of the undergrowth!
Seriously, I have no idea what it is! I’m sure I’ve never seen one before.
This is my first foray into macro photography and I don’t think it was wholly successful. Still, this next one is quite good though, probably because the most of the bug is actually in focus. You can see the sucker-things it uses to propel itself along. A bit like a caterpillar. Is it a caterpillar variant?
I’m wondering if using aperture priority mode might have helped, but that sounds a bit advanced. Maybe using the “spot” autofocus mode would be good too? Anyway, here is the bug’s head. (Well, it moves in this direction.)
And this is its bum. Not sure if the blue thing is a fancy-coloured tail or a dangerous stinger.
Speaking of strange creatures, I was reading on the train home about the sad fate of the giant Steller’s Sea Cow.
is it a walnut sphinx moth caterpillar? (amorpha juglandis)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=2740551
http://bugguide.net/node/view/329835/bgimage
seems like it’s definitely a hornworm caterpillar, some of which are here:
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/category/caterpillars-and-pupa/moth-caterpillars/hornworms/
September 5, 2010 @ 6:55 pm
too technical for blodgett. is a caterpillar
September 6, 2010 @ 12:31 pm
It’s settled then: it’s a caterpillar, possibly of the hornworm type.
September 8, 2010 @ 8:19 am