HONOLULU (KHON2) — University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa scientists have discovered a new caterpillar species they dub the “bone collector.”
The bone collector lives in spiderwebs and decorates its habitat with the body parts of dead insects. Scientists have watched the macabre insect measuring and attaching fly wings, weevil heads and earwig abdomens to their homes.
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“The bone collector caterpillar is another example of how incredible and unpredictable evolution in Hawaiʻi can be,” said Dan Rubinoff, a UH Mānoa entomology professor. “Not only are they the only caterpillars in the world to decorate their homes with body parts but maybe more shocking, they make their living hanging around spiderwebs. This is something we never even imagined was possible. But in Hawaiʻi, here it is.”
The insect is carnivorous and feeds on the weakened or recently deceased insects within its spiderweb home, sometimes chewing through the webbing to reach their next meal…