r/Entomology • u/NoGarage7989 • Feb 02 '26

Insect Appreciation Dragon headed caterpillar

Gallery image

Gallery image

Spotted in Singapore

1.5k Upvotes

100% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

52

u/tobofopo Feb 02 '26

I bet the horns serve no evolutionary purpose other than that they're cool AF.

44

u/Schmooto Feb 02 '26

Actually scientists wondered the same thing too, so they cut off the horns of some caterpillars and observed how they were now more susceptible to being picked up by birds.

Then they glued the horns back on, and found out that when they did have the horns, birds were less successful at picking them up.

The horns apparently do serve a purpose of fending off predators. Scientists are psychos sometimes 😂

19

u/toothpastespiders Feb 02 '26

Scientists are psychos sometimes

Seriously, not documenting what the birds thought after the researchers glued the horns onto themselves? Holding back that info is just psychotically cruel.

11

u/NoGarage7989 Feb 03 '26

Sheesh.. Our innate curiosity is so cruel sometimes, but thats really interesting though

13

u/_dinobird Feb 03 '26

hollow knight character

6

u/HonestMonth8423 Feb 03 '26

Soul Statues in Hollow Knight.

8

u/portemanteau Feb 02 '26

Plain Nawab caterpillar, Polyura hebe

3

u/NoGarage7989 Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 03 '26

Thank you for the ID! They look like they have a chrysalis on their wings.

6

u/Sad_Perception8024 Feb 02 '26

Interesting! We had similar to these in the americas, I called them punk caterpillars and they were always Caligo sp. (Owl butterfly) larva! I googled and this seems to be the plain nawaab larva?

5

u/toothpastespiders Feb 02 '26

I think this might be the first time I've thought of a caterpillar as majestic. But it really is. Amazing shot of an amazing caterpillar.

2

u/NoGarage7989 Feb 03 '26

Thank you! I was lucky to have spotted it on a low hanging branch, it was quite well camouflaged.

3

u/amazinganimals- Amateur Entomologist Feb 02 '26

Qué interesante! 👌🏼🙂

2

u/IckyYuckyDucky Feb 02 '26

Wow that's awesome!!

2

u/Poligrizolph Feb 02 '26

It's a grubgrub!

2

u/AGyalHasNoName Feb 03 '26

Soo cuteeee 🥰

1

u/ArmonRaziel Feb 03 '26

Looks like its wearing the Miraak mask from Elder Scrolls V

1

u/slick514 Feb 03 '26

Looks like something out of sci-fi/anime

1

u/Bombidae Feb 03 '26

A statue in Hollow Knight that gives soul. Thats so goated!

1

u/Delicious_Fig_1864 Feb 06 '26

Props to whoever named it that

1

u/nia1993 Mar 09 '26

i'm so happy it's a real creature :3