海洋岛屿 16

When one finds the right spot

It settles down to chew through a leaf.

So far, so normal.

But the caterpillar is not actually swallowing the bits of leaf.

It's channelling a gap between the segments.

When finished, it'll tuck itself into the space.

So what is so strange about this animal?

Well, those are not your typical caterpillar feet

And what follows is not your typical caterpillar behaviour.

This is a carnivorous caterpillar with a vice-like hold

And a bite to match.

Hawaii's numerous fruit flies

were just too good an opportunity to ignore.

And the stick-like camouflage of another kind of meat-eating caterpillar

Is just as effective when ambushing prey.

Nobody knows what set Hawaii's carnivorous caterpillars

on this extraordinary path

But it's the sort of quirky evolution that's common on isolated islands.