Caterpillar that looks and even acts like a snake to scare off predators

18:40 • 28.05.14
Science/tech

Some predatory spiders pose as ladybirds and even tree stumps to look as unthreatening as possible.

But this caterpillar takes the opposite approach by masquerading as a snake in an attempt to scare away predators.

The vivid green 'snake caterpillar' creates the illusion of looking like a dangerous reptile by retracting its legs and expanding the end of its body, which have markings that look like eyes.

Professor Daniel Janzen captured the images as part of his work cataloguing caterpillars and says it is part of the hemeroplanes species, the Daily Mail reports.

As well as looking like a snake, the cunning caterpillar even behaves like one.

When in a larval state, before transforming into a moth, the creature can strike in defense if it is approached – even though it doesn't have a snake’s capability of administering a bite.

Professor Janzen, who is a biologist at the University of Pennsylvania, photographed the insect while working in the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

‘To normal people this caterpillar might look weird and scary, but for me it's just a walk in the park,’ he said.

‘Every caterpillar in Costa Rica looks like something else - be it a leaf, twig or in this case, a slithering snake.

‘Over the years I've seen and photographed so many different types of bugs I'm never surprised, but they always interest me.’

Professor Janzen has been tracking Costa Rica's species of caterpillar since 1978 and has been an insect expert for 50 years.
He spends half a year at the university and the other half combing habitats in Central America for unusual creatures, such as this caterpillar.

Sssscary: Unlike spiders that pose as less predatory creatures, this caterpillar masquerades as a snake in an attempt to scare away predators
 

A good mimic: As well as looking like a snake, the cunning caterpillar even behaves a little like one. When it is a larvae before transforming into a moth, the creature can strike in defence if it is approached - even if it does not have the snake's capability of administering a bite
 

Great pretender: Professor Janzen, who is abiologist at the University of Pennsylvannia, said: 'Every caterpillar in Costa Rica looks like something else - be it a leaf, twig or in this case, a slithering snake'
 

Just another strange insect: Professor Janzen said: 'To normal people this caterpillar might look weird and scary, but for me it's just a walk in the park'
 

A very creepy crawly: 'Over the years I've seen and photographed so many different types of bugs I'm never surprised, but they always interest me,' Professor Janzen said. From this angle, the caterpillar looks slightly less like a snake
 

Hissss passion: The expert captured the images as part of his work cataloguing caterpillars (pictured) and says it is part of the hemeroplanes species

 

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