Snail-eating caterpillars

[Glen Miyashiro]

First they discover caterpillars that catch flies; now this!

Freakish killers lurk in the forests of Hawaii: tiny caterpillars that sneak up on unsuspecting snails, hogtie them, and devour their unfortunate victims alive.

(from New Scientist)

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Snail-eating caterpillars

More snail-eating photos. Warning: graphic violence!

For more details, see Prof. Daniel Rubinoff's faculty web page at UH Mānoa.

[1stwahine]

Re: Snail-eating caterpillars

Hi Glen! Interesting article. My question, they don't tell what kind of butterfly it turns into. I don't think it's bazarre...but survial of the fittist. What I would give to gaze upon the slow destruction of a snail being eaten alive! Sick? Eh, I'm inquisitive.

Auntie Lynn

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Snail-eating caterpillars

Lynn, in the additional photos link that I posted there are photos of the moth that the caterpillar turns into. Here's one of them:

[1stwahine]

Re: Snail-eating caterpillars

You know anybody up UH Manoa Campus that can take me to an excursion to witness this upfront. This right up my alley. Slow destrucion! Complete oblivion!

Auntie Lynn

thanks for the pictures!

[pinakboy]

Re: Snail-eating caterpillars

i wonda if dem buggahs can grind da kine bumbucha african snails or da kine expensive escargot? hehehe