What the hell is this???
 

Ok,all of you of a squeemish disposition look away now....



Right, three photos coming up, its of some kind of bug that looked like it was stuck in a twig, except the twig itself was soft and obviously part of the bug. It moved by sticking its head out about an inch, suckering itself to the ground, pulling itself along and inch, and then repeating the whole process. It was really unco-ordinated and clueless, last seen trying to climb the leg of the BBQ. WHY? And what the hell is it. It looks disgusting!

Anyway, over to all you entomologists. :D

Re: What the hell is this???
 

dude, the stupid bug has it's head stuck in the twig

Re: What the hell is this???
 

Hope you are not having your dinner!! :D

Re: What the hell is this???
 

Fair dinkum...., turn the barbie on.... Looks horrid.

Re: What the hell is this???
 

Its not a twig!!! Its really soft, I watched it climb over the wheel of our BBQ, the 'twig-like' bit bent with it as it went.

Re: What the hell is this???
 

That would mean it was pulling itself along by its arse which... oh actually, come to think of it, I used to work with a few people like that :D

Re: What the hell is this???
 

It's an hairy arsed widdgity grub :p :D :D
Donna xx

Re: What the hell is this???
 

Looks like one of those thingies from the Matrix!

Re: What the hell is this???
 

We have loads of them up here.

I assume they are caterpillars of some sort.

Travel a long way in a day.

Largest one I've seen is about 3 inches.

I was power washing yesterday and tried to knock some of them off the ceiling but they withstood the full force. Cling like shite to a blanket.

Dare not touch them with bare hands as some caterpillars can make you quite ill just brushing against them.

Re: What the hell is this???
 

The latest theory we have is that it was a Caterpillar that had built itself a really realistic looking 'twig' cocoon.... and then realised it couldn't get out.

When I say 'we' have this theory, I obviously mean Mrs JTL :rolleyes:


A Caterpillar who builds a cocoon it can't get out of.... sheesh :rolleyes:

Re: What the hell is this???
 

This one was about 4 or 5 inches.

Oh and what is power washing? Is that like doing lots of laundry at one time? :p

Re: What the hell is this???
 

I think that rather than building a cocoon (out of which should have come a butterfly / moth) what you have here is a caterpillar (or possibly beetle - hard to see) that has built an outer 'shell' out of twigs / mucus. This is partly for physical protection but more for disguise to stop being eaten by Kookaburras / Gallahs etc.

Can I have a gold star please?

Re: What the hell is this???
 

Good effort!

Re: What the hell is this???
 

Well yes... if you are right...

So did it over do it, and then couldn't get out of its camouflage, cos its lying dead on the patio now.

And it wasn't me honest...

Re: What the hell is this???
 

No - it carries it's 'home' around with it and retreats into it whenever some drunken expat having a barbie comes over to it!

If it's dead - chuck it on the barbie :D