Buggin with Bridgey – September 2024

Buggin with Bridgey is a Monthly report of sightings from the Let’s Go Buggin Cairns Nature & Photography Tour in the Cairns Botanic Gardens.  As the months roll by, subtle changes in the seasons bring sightings of new creatures and this report aims to give people a wrap up of the current animals seen as well as provide an ongoing citizen science account of our wonderful critters that can be seen in the Wet Tropics of Queensland.

Caterpillars in the Cairns Botanic Gardens

and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.

Part 1

A sleeping black caterpillar with red spikes on a leaf twig

Welcome to the Cairns Botanic Gardens, where the plants are gorgeous, the air is tropical, and the caterpillars… well, they’re munching through it all like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. These little green eating machines are the unsung VIPs of the garden, quietly stuffing their faces, preparing for their ultimate metamorphosis into butterflies and moths. Ever wondered what it’s like to eat 100 times your body weight in leaves? Well, neither did I, but the caterpillars here make it look like a full-time job!  There are so many different species of caterpillars we can see during Let’s Go Buggin Tours, I’ve had to break this blog into several parts.  This is Part 1.  So grab your macro lens and prepare to meet the hungry, hungry caterpillars of the Cains Botanic Gardens.

Cairns Birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion)

The Cairns Birdwing Caterpillar (Ornithoptera euphorion) is as striking as it is voracious.   It’s the superstar of the Cairns Botanic Gardens and a hero of Let’s Go Buggin Morning Walks.  With its chunky black body adorned with fleshy red spines, this caterpillar looks like it means business. Endemic to the tropical rainforests of Queensland, it primarily feasts on the leaves of the native Aristolochia vine, which gives it a toxic punch to deter predators. Despite its somewhat fearsome appearance, this caterpillar is just the juvenile stage of the majestic Cairns Birdwing Butterfly, Australia’s largest and most vibrant butterflies.

Cairns Birdwing Caterpillar

Above and Top: Cairns Birdwing Caterpillar (Ornithoptera euphorion)

Four o’Clock Moth (Dysphania numana)

The Four O’clock Moth Caterpillar (Dysphania numana) is a colorful character in the Cairns Botanic Gardens, known for its bright yellow body, gently munching away leaves of native freshwater mangrove trees. Most of its munching happens during daylight hours. True to its name, it eventually transforms into the Four O’clock Moth, which, unlike its caterpillar form, is a master of subtlety, often emerging in the late afternoon, around 4 O’clock. The abdomen of the Moth, looks like a hairy version of the caterpillar.

A yellow caterpillar with black spots humped on a plant stem in the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

Four O’clock Moth Caterpillar (Dysphania numana)

Tailed Emperor (Charaxes sempronius)

The Tailed Emperor (Charaxes sempronius) caterpillar is a unique sight in the Cairns Botanic Gardens, sporting an almost comical headgear with its horn-like appendages. Its vibrant green body helps it blend in with leaves, while the striking red “horns” and a white stripe running along its sides give it a touch of flair. This caterpillar enjoys feasting on a variety of host plants, including the Red Bead Tree (Adenanthera pavonina). While it may look like a quirky, harmless creature now, it’s destined for an impressive transformation into the Tailed Emperor butterfly, a fast-flying, territorial beauty with its elegant tail-like extensions on the wings. From its regal name to its majestic adult form, the Tailed Emperor caterpillar is truly on the path to ruling the skies!

Tailed Emperor (Charaxes sempronius)

Imperial Fruit Sucking Moth (Phyllodes imperialis)

The Pink Underwing Moth, or Imperial Fruit Sucking Moth (Phyllodes imperialis), could possibly be my favorite caterpillar seen in the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Dark and camouflaged to blend in with its surroundings, this caterpillar has an incredible defense mechanism: when threatened, it reveals startling fake eye spots as well as fake teeth!    This incredible cryptic crawler will eventually transform into a large, striking moth with vivid pink underwings that flash like hidden jewels. In its adult form, it earns its “imperial” status, notorious for its habit of feeding on fermenting fruit.

Pink Underwing Moth aka Imperial Fruit Sucking Moth (Phyllodes imperialis)

Orange Lacewing (Cethosia penthesilea)

The Orange Lacewing caterpillar (Cethosia penthesilea) is a vivid and spiny little creature that demands attention. Its body is a deep red with black and white bars, covered with rows of sharp, branching black spines that give it a fierce, armored appearance. These spines aren’t just for show, they serve as a defense against predators. They can often be found in clusters, as the butterfly will often lay a number of eggs on one stem. Despite its prickly exterior, the caterpillar is destined to transform into the stunning Orange Lacewing butterfly, known for its delicate wings patterned with brilliant orange, white, and black.

Orange Lacewing caterpillars (Cethosia penthesilea)

Variable Anthelid (Anthela varia)

The Hairy Caterpillar (Anthela astata) is like the rockstar of the Cairns Botanic Gardens with its wild, fluffy appearance. Covered in long, wispy hairs that look like they belong in a 70s rock band, this caterpillar is all about standing out.  Infact, I refer to them as the ‘Hairy, Hairy Caterpillar’, as just one ‘hairy’, just doesn’t quite capture the vastness of this caterpillars hairiness.   Those tufts aren’t just for show, they serve as a defense mechanism, irritating the skin of any would-be predator. This fuzzy critter munches on a variety of native plants, and despite its shaggy, carefree look, it’s on a mission to become the understated Anthelid Moth. While the adult moth is more subdued, the caterpillar’s wild hairdo ensures it steals the show during its leaf-munching days. This species always impresses participants on Let’s Go Buggin Tours when we see them both on the morning and night walks.

Hairy Caterpillar (Anthela astata)

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the examples of the Caterpillars in the Cairns Botanical Gardens and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.  Be sure to watch out for part 2 next month. If you would like to take a deeper dive into some other encounters you can check out my Let’s Go Buggin Project on iNaturalist here.

Keen for a Let’s Go Buggin Tour? Use ‘BRIDGEYBLOG’ as the coupon code for 15% discount on your tour booking here.

Next Blog in late October.

🐛 📸 💚

Bridgette

Bridgette uses a variety of Olympus OM SYSTEM Cameras and Lenses