A poop disguise
Apr 14th, 2009 by algarrobo
Here in the tropics you sometimes run into weird bugs and plants that you want to keep clear of and treat with respect. There are some very venomous caterpillars that can be dangerous. We also have some poison ivy, for lack of other description, that if you brush against it you will be in dire pain and soon the affected area will swell and blister, and eventually turn brown and necrotic. Not nice, so it is something that people lurking around their garden and beyond should be aware of. I will try to be more specific as I investigate these aspects of being a naturalist pocking around nature, for this is sort of a good thing to have in your bag of field working knowledge.
Just as an example of a real curios guy, not dangerous but somewhat disgusting who loves to munch on citrus tree leaves. He is: Lepidoptera: Papilionidae - Heraclides thoas nealces, and as he sits on a branch or munching a leaf he looks just like a bird poop and when you disturb him he emits a foul smell from gland in the frontal encephalic capsule; so you would guess that birds and other predators keep their distance.