A carnivorous 'bone collector' caterpillar dresses in the remains of its prey

This photograph provided by Daniel Rubinoff successful April 2025 shows a caller taxon of carnivorous caterpillar, left, which uses a protective lawsuit made with insect parts, adjacent a spider successful Oahu, Hawaii. (Courtesy Daniel Rubinoff via AP)

AP

This representation provided by Daniel Rubinoff successful April 2025 shows protective cases made with insect parts that are created by a caller taxon of carnivorous caterpillar. (Courtesy Daniel Rubinoff via AP)

AP

NEW YORK (AP) — A caller carnivorous caterpillar that wears the remains of its prey has been dubbed the “bone collector.”

The unusual insect is lone recovered connected the Hawaiian land of Oahu. It creeps on spiderwebs, feeding connected trapped insects and decorating its silk lawsuit with their assemblage parts.

There are different meat-eating caterpillars that “do tons of brainsick things, but this takes the cake,” said survey writer Dan Rubinoff with the University of Hawaii astatine Manoa.

Scientists deliberation the lawsuit mightiness enactment arsenic camouflage, allowing the caterpillar to feast connected the spider’s ensnared meals without getting caught.

A big of caterpillars autochthonal to Hawaii usage silk glands to rotation protective cases studded with lichen, soil and different materials. This 1 is the archetypal to usage ant heads and alert wings.

“It truly is an astonishing benignant of case,” said Steven Montgomery, an entomology advisor successful Hawaii who was not progressive with the caller study.

Findings were published Thursday successful the diary Science. Scientists recovered conscionable 62 of the carnivorous caterpillars successful implicit 20 years of observing.

Predatory caterpillars are highly uncommon and the bony collectors recovered successful Hawaii volition adjacent devour each other, researchers said.

The bony collector's origins day backmost astatine slightest 6 cardinal years, making the caterpillars much past than the Hawaiian islands themselves. Today, they dwell connected an isolated spot of upland wood alongside invasive species.

“There is truly a interest that we request to bash amended with conservation,” said Rubinoff.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives enactment from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely liable for each content.

April 24, 2025|Updated April 24, 2025 1:05 p.m.