Aloha and Good Morning to everyone! How is everyone in the Hawaiian Life community today? It's that time again but this time with stormy weather all around me, I am posting it early before the internet goes out on me. Today, thanks to a video I saw from Twitter, I will be talking about caterpillars. Not the cute furry veggie eaters, but the Carnivorous Hawaiian Caterpillar. It looks like something out of a movie. Very strange but quite fascinating for a caterpillar. Also hope you'll all read my final paragraph. We need to send some prayers to one of our own...
*Carnivorous Hawaiian Caterpiillers*
Remember the days when you would see these cute furry caterpillars all over the place. Coming out of their cocoons and crawling everywhere? They are quite pretty, harmless little creatures. Well there is now trouble in paradise because Hawaii is home to a different kind of caterpillar. Of all things, it's a carnivorous caterpillar. Up until now I thought caterpillars nibbled on trees and ate off of leaves and grasses. Not this little Hawaiian caterpillar. It reminds me of those venus fly trap plants only twenty times meaner. You would never know it's even there. It resembles a twig on a tree. It is of green and/or brown in color which blends right into the twig it is on.
Way back when, the early Hawaiians must have somehow overlooked this little lovely because there wasn't a known name for it. The early Hawaiians didn't even include it in any myths or chants. It was much more exciting in its inchworm type state because when it morphed into a moth, it was just a plain unexciting moth. This member of the Eupithecia family was discovered in the 1960's. They were considered to be vegetarians. Members of the Eupithecia family that live elsewhere eat flowers and fruit. Not the Hawaiian member. They eat fruit flies. Yummy! What a tasty little morsel that must be. Some call them the Killer Caterpillars, the way they snatch their prey, it takes the phraise "trouble in paradise" to a whole different level. ;-)
There have been studies since the 60's all around the world that now have indentified carnivorous members of other caterpillar species. Entomologists think that each one evolved from a plant-eater in a local isolated habitat where there was an open spot for a small insectivore. All things in this world are quite something. If you can even spot it from blending into the twigs, when the Hawaiian Caterpillar senses that prey is around, it takes its back legs and clutches a branch. Then, which looks like scenes from a movie, it lifts its head and snatches the insect with its front legs and jaws, just like that venus fly trap, but much scarier.
As with most species of things, there are many different species of these caterpillars. In Hawaii they are like a predator hunting its prey camouflaged by the way it appears to be another piece of bark or twig & then grabs the insect without hesitation. In Denmark some caterpillars live underground, and are pampered by the ants. A species in Australia invades green tree ant nests, absolutely devouring the whole nest. It's actually unusual for these to be meat eaters. Out of 160,000 known butterfly and moth species, only one percent are meat eaters. In Hawaii, there are 20 known species of Eupithecia. Some start out eating a certain kind of plant, then switch to a particular species of insect. These extreme life cycles make these carnivores hard to find and very vulnerable to extinction...
Ok folks, that is it for another week. I hope you all enjoyed todays Blog. Don't forget, I'll send some links. One on the caterpillar, a link to Mikes site for his book, A Pecunious Life & a couple posts from Mike, I think you will like. ;-) We also have plenty of goodies at the Store Front here at Hawaiian Life. Those Tiki's are still calling your name at the FB Fan Page.. Hear them? lol ;-) It's been a really hot almost two months here and pretty much all over the country it is Hot Hot Hot! Make sure you all drink plenty of water. Make sure you don't leave pets outside in extreme weather or never leave your kids or pets inside vehicles in the higher temps. Our very young and senior citizens need extra care at these times as well. We have to look out for each other. Ok everyone, be good to one another & I hope you all have a safe & happy week.
**In closing today, I would like to take a moment and ask everyone if you will, to send out some extra prayers to a member in our Hawaiian Life community who is very seriously ill. Out of love and respect for this member & family & friends, I will leave the name out, for I feel at this very difficult & stressful time, they have enough to deal with and it's just not my place. You have a very special angel there with you. My heart goes out to you and your entire family and God Bless you all!!! Love, Di
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Until next time, Mahalo!
Aloha,
Di
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