Carnivorous Caterpillars

Classification

• The genus Eupithecia, which descends from the family Geometridae and the order of moths and butterflies, Lepidoptera, contains carnivorous caterpillars. While there are as many as 150 identified distinct species of Eupithecia in the U.S.A., only amongst the 20 known species of Eupithecia moth, that occur on the islands of Hawaii, are recorded as carnivorous.

Appearance

• Carnivorous caterpillars occur in Hawaii and are an example of allopatric speciation, which develops in an isolated island environment. They are described as being small, dull green and brown in appearance, and difficult to spot, as they blend in with surrounding twigs and keep very still when larger animals approach.

Feeding Habits

• Caterpillars were once considered entirely vegetarian. Other members of the genus Eupithecia eat fruit and plants, but those found in Hawaii eat, capture and kill fruit flies. To capture its airborne prey, it clutches onto the tips of branches with its hind legs, raises its head and upper body to wait for its prey, and snatches passing insects out of the air with its forelegs and jaws. It consumes its prey in the same hanging position.

Other Carnivorous Species of Caterpillar

• Lycaenid caterpillars in Australian have been reported to invade green tree ant nests and consume their larvae, although evidence is said to be circumstantial. Carnivorous Lycaenid species include Liphyra brassolis, Hypochrysops halyaetus, Hypochrysops ignite, Acrodipsas illidgei, Acrodipsas myrmecophila, Paralucia pyrodiscus, Ogyris subterrestris, Arhopala wildei, Ogyris idmo, Paralucia aurifer, Ogyris genoveva, Lucia limbaria, Arhopala micale and Ogyris otanes. In addition; on the Danish island of Læsø, the Maculinea alcon caterpillar develops a waxy coat of hydrocarbons which smells almost exactly like Myrmica ant larvae. The smell tricks the ants into believing the caterpillars are one of their, and transports it to their nest where the caterpillar are fed from the ants' own mouths. It often supplements this diet by consuming the ants' brood.