I wrote a post a dozen years ago about a lacewing larva that I found in my yard, which disguises itself by sticking debris on its back as camouflage. It became one of my most visited posts! My curiosity led me down a path of learning that has stayed with me to this day.
When I noticed a strange caterpillar on one of my gloriosa daisies in an arrangement on the counter, I knew that it does a similar thing as the lacewing to improve its chances of survival. This inchworm is called a camouflaged looper (Synchlora aerata) and it sticks bits of flowers and leaves to itself using sticky saliva. Coincidentally, two years ago I posted a photo of the beautiful adult– a wavy-lined emerald moth. (Click the links to visit the posts.)
Eliza Waters 
Fascinating!
Pretty cool, eh? I love things like this!
Yep!
Nature is amazing! 👏🏻
Truly! 🙂 💖
Insects are so amazing – great photo Eliza.
Thank you, Flavia. A very unusual houseguest! 😀
She always speaks so profoundly Eliza. Thank you for sharing something rarely seen and understood 🤗❤️🙏
Happy to share, Mark. 🙂
I have never seen anything like this. So fascinating!
Nature is always full of surprises!
Yes indeed!
Wow! It’s fascinating. These days I am busy removing beetles from roses 😁, never saw them before but this year they are in abundance.
Thanks, Rupali. Beetles can cause a lot of damage in a short time.
Yes, I read about them, hope I have removed mostly all.
Thanks for sharing these fascinating details. Who knew?
My pleasure, Alys. Observing nature is something I’ve always done. Growing up in the country, I learned a lot. 🙂
I’ll bet. It sounds like a good life.
Indeed, much blessed!
What an amazing (& beautiful) thing!
Little works of art, hehe!
So amazing!
Pretty cool, huh? 🙂
Yes, very. 😊
Fascinating, Eliza. You have a good eye!
Thank you, Barbara. Natural curiosity!
Oh wow. Thank you for the learning moment.
My pleasure, likely you have similar in your garden. Thanks, Judy. 🙂
The many gifts of nature are a window inviting us to watch and learn.
I find it fascinating and soothing at the same time. 🙏🏼
I had a creature like that collecting bodies. They have very strange but brilliant habits.
Yes, some put pieces of their victims on them, rather gruesome, but effective!
That is THE coolest thing! Thank you for sharing, Eliza!
My pleasure, Dale! Thanks!
😊
Amazing is right! I had never heard of such camouflage. Really cool. And so effective that I wouldn’t have known what I was looking at had I seen this flower. Thanks for posting.
Thank you, Laurie. It really is great camouflage, I didn’t notice it at first, but as it kept moving to different spots, I realized what it was. Fun stuff!
Yes, fun!
An excellent closeup. I’ve found similarly camouflaged moth caterpillars on goldenrod. They are odd-looking!
Thank you, Tom. Clearly, a great strategy for survival.
What an incredible transformation! So interesting to learn about these insects. Nature is wondrous and wonderful 😊
Thank you, Belinda. Cool things happening all around us!
Very fascinating indeed and you are totally right that nature is never boring. (Suzanne)
Thank you, Suzanne!
This is interesting! Nature is full of surprises – always something new to see.
Thanks, Caroline. A fun curiosity!
Wow, just like a coronal loop! What a curious strategy.
In instances like this, I wonder how many generations it took to create this behavior? A strategy that works well.
What a delight to come across something as nteresting as this!
Thanks, Anne. Yes, it was. And I had its company for over a week, finally putting it back outside to continue its life.
That is so cool! I’ve never noticed it myself but I’ll be looking more closely in the future. Thanks for sharing your observations!
https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/
My pleasure, Kris. Thanks much!
Well captured, Eliza! And that emerald moth is stunning! Indeed, Nature keeps us surprised and delighted by all her wonders.
Thank you, Debbie! 🙂
Very cool!
Thank you, Debra! 🙂
Amazing! Well-spotted Eliza!
Thank you, Cathy. It was a very clever disguise.
It is an interesting critter, to be sure! Glad you saw it and got some photos to share!
Thanks, Tina. Definitely a fun find!
What a fascinating critter. Just once, I saw a lacewing larva that looked for all the world like a tiny bundle of fluff. That was the day I learned those things can move! It was so fast I never got a decent photo of it. You did well with this one — great details!
Thank you, Linda. Nature is the best!
It’s true. Mother Nature is so wonderful. We have these blue-Violet Jacintha snails showing up on the San Diego Shorelines. I enjoyed reading about these “storm snails” and their bubble rafts. Survival in nature! Loved this post.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Eliza. Amazing indeed!!! Thank you for sharing.
MJ
Thank you, MJ!
Learned something new today! That’s pretty wild that the inchworm does that – very clever!
Glad to know that, I love learning about cool critters that share their world with us. 🙂
I had no idea we had these little aliens roaming around!! Loved the inchworm photo and learning something new!🙂
IKR? Insects can be so fascinating. Crickets have hatched, little baby hoppers… can’t wait for their evening songs. 🙂
They are fun little creatures, aren’t they?
The garden offers so much more than flowers and veggies. 🙂
Wow, what clever little critters creating such remarkable art!
Thanks, Monika. Little collage artists, haha!
Collage artists…that’s a perfect way to describe them!
Now I’ll have to start looking for these camouflaging larvae!
I bet they are there, hidden in plain sight! 🙂
Very cool!
Thanks, Tanja!