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Isabel Cutler | all galleries >> Galleries >> Insects, Arachnids and Arthropods, Reptiles > P1140796 What's that orange thing on my black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar?
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15-MAY-2017

P1140796 What's that orange thing on my black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar?

I was perplexed and Googled "orange antennae on caterpillar" and learned that this structure is called an "osmenterium" and is something the caterpillar projects when it feels threatened.

Capturing it was difficult because it almost instantaneously contracted it and I really could have used a third hand to poke around it to make it come out, so I put my camera on a tripod and hoped to click at the right moment.

Here's more about the osmenterium: http://outlawgarden.com/2012/05/22/please-dont-tease-the-parsley-worm/ and, yes, in answer to another Googled question, many other caterpillars have this organ: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmeterium

Not my video, but quite remarkably done and informative.

Panasonic lumix dmc-gx7
1/80s f/10.0 at 60.0mm iso800 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Helen Betts15-May-2017 14:18
Isn't that interesting! I guess it felt you were threatening it. Well captured in any case!
Jim Coffman15-May-2017 13:18
Colorful and super sharp image.. You got to love the GX 7...