Hahahahahahahahaha! Fav! This is the oddest thing and your one liner that went with it CRACKED ME UP! LOL! I have never seen red caterpillars! I have never seen caterpillars do this weird backbend thing and certainly not all at one time. T his is so weird and COOL!
Great capture and looking close how many are there? Looks like there may be 5 or 6 of these cool colored caterpillars making a mess of your azalea and making butterflies. Love your title and what you wrote and the detail you captured. FAV
I think they are practicing their synchronized azalea stripping for the next caterpillar olympics. It looks like one of them needs to get up to speed. ;-)
I've never seen red caterpillars. Really great find and shot.
@mzzhope Lol! Thanks for the link and clarifying. "we". I couldn't make that work. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to find something you have never seen because you are such a genius about these things!
@darsphotos I think only four but they are doubled over so it looks like more! Apparently the will be borin brown moths instead of butterflies too. I really appreciate your comments and the FAV Darlene. Thanks.
@pasadenarose Always so much fun to get a comment from you, Rose. they are so funny and quirky. I'm glad you like the shot too! Thanks for taking the time.
@grammyn ahh well I was just guessing and I am sure you know best. Funny that they are so colorful at this stage and drab in the next stage of their life.
@janiskay I only know because someone else more knowledgeable than I told me. I had that same thought. kind of like the ugly duckling. Only one stage of life to be beautiful in!
Beware beware is exactly right. This is a defence mechanism... they are trying their best to look unappealing and even dangerous with their red bellies and spiky legs. You became the enemy for a moment.
It worked……sort of this time. I really wasn't very close though. I AM the enemy because I usually pull them off and throw them in the road. I let them be since it was such a great shot but my azalea is totally stripped now.
@grammyn - we have a caterpillar/grub in Aust that defoliates and hangs out in big groups like this, and they arch their backs up when threatened.... but they also spray stinky green stuff around. Totes gross!
I've never seen red caterpillars. Really great find and shot.