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Please Comment: Danger! Danger!

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New blog post by Laura Rikono

Danger! Danger!

What is perhaps the most feared creature of the Borneo rainforest, I hear you ask? Who is the King or Queen of the Forest?

The sun bear, the clouded leopard, the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, the reticulated python, even the cobra and the pit viper do pack a punch when threatened, but most prefer to get on with their daily lives. If you were to meet one in the forest, you’d nod respectfully and turn aside to keep out of each other’s way. They’re the aristocracy for sure, but not exactly tyrannical monarchs.

(We once had a juvenile cobra slither under our baby son’s hammock and what did we do? Gently shepherd it back outside.)

But there is one creature that will send us into a frantic dash for the nearest weapon-like implement.

Caterpillars. Rainforest Royalty.

They are universally feared because of their tiny (sometimes not so tiny) hollow hairs called setae, connected to poison sacs. According to local wisdom, just the slightest touch shoots them into your flesh. Once embedded, they can be impossible to locate and will release tissue-eating toxins for days or even weeks, slowly rotting you from the inside out.

And these guys are often camouflaged, doing a great job at mimicking twigs, bark, leaves, bird droppings or fungi. You could brush up against one without realising, only to find yourself back home hours later, wondering why your arm feels like it’s on fire.

So, when visiting the forest, it’s generally a good idea to behave as if you’re a careless touch away from agony.

P.S. The chunky green lepidopteran entertaining my daughter Anya above is an Atlas moth caterpillar. Not only not dangerous, but also one of the largest moth species in the world.



Check out these beauties here (PDF of the PowerPoint presentation Intriguing Caterpillars of Borneo by Alfred Y.C. Chung of the Sabah Forestry Department).
---

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Hi @Aethalope This is fascinating as is the pdf link.
And I love the photo of Anya and the lepidopteran on litopia.com
Thank you!

It's weird. I've always been super, super careful about posting my kids online. Now she's an adult, so she turns around and tells me to make sure to post her cute pic and name because she has her own brand to cultivate.
 
New blog post by Laura Rikono

Danger! Danger!

What is perhaps the most feared creature of the Borneo rainforest, I hear you ask? Who is the King or Queen of the Forest?

The sun bear, the clouded leopard, the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, the reticulated python, even the cobra and the pit viper do pack a punch when threatened, but most prefer to get on with their daily lives. If you were to meet one in the forest, you’d nod respectfully and turn aside to keep out of each other’s way. They’re the aristocracy for sure, but not exactly tyrannical monarchs.

(We once had a juvenile cobra slither under our baby son’s hammock and what did we do? Gently shepherd it back outside.)

But there is one creature that will send us into a frantic dash for the nearest weapon-like implement.

Caterpillars. Rainforest Royalty.

They are universally feared because of their tiny (sometimes not so tiny) hollow hairs called setae, connected to poison sacs. According to local wisdom, just the slightest touch shoots them into your flesh. Once embedded, they can be impossible to locate and will release tissue-eating toxins for days or even weeks, slowly rotting you from the inside out.

And these guys are often camouflaged, doing a great job at mimicking twigs, bark, leaves, bird droppings or fungi. You could brush up against one without realising, only to find yourself back home hours later, wondering why your arm feels like it’s on fire.

So, when visiting the forest, it’s generally a good idea to behave as if you’re a careless touch away from agony.

P.S. The chunky green lepidopteran entertaining my daughter Anya above is an Atlas moth caterpillar. Not only not dangerous, but also one of the largest moth species in the world.



Check out these beauties here (PDF of the PowerPoint presentation Intriguing Caterpillars of Borneo by Alfred Y.C. Chung of the Sabah Forestry Department).
---

* Like this post? Please share here
* Start your own blog here
Yeah we got something similar in kansas and most of the midwest., Little transparent spiders that like to hide in cardboard boxes or old wood like outdoor toilets. The first indication you've been bitten is a necrotic ring around the site. The only way to deal is to cut out the site and a good chunk around it. And everyone knew at least one person who had to have this done.
 
New blog post by Laura Rikono

Danger! Danger!

What is perhaps the most feared creature of the Borneo rainforest, I hear you ask? Who is the King or Queen of the Forest?

The sun bear, the clouded leopard, the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, the reticulated python, even the cobra and the pit viper do pack a punch when threatened, but most prefer to get on with their daily lives. If you were to meet one in the forest, you’d nod respectfully and turn aside to keep out of each other’s way. They’re the aristocracy for sure, but not exactly tyrannical monarchs.

(We once had a juvenile cobra slither under our baby son’s hammock and what did we do? Gently shepherd it back outside.)

But there is one creature that will send us into a frantic dash for the nearest weapon-like implement.

Caterpillars. Rainforest Royalty.

They are universally feared because of their tiny (sometimes not so tiny) hollow hairs called setae, connected to poison sacs. According to local wisdom, just the slightest touch shoots them into your flesh. Once embedded, they can be impossible to locate and will release tissue-eating toxins for days or even weeks, slowly rotting you from the inside out.

And these guys are often camouflaged, doing a great job at mimicking twigs, bark, leaves, bird droppings or fungi. You could brush up against one without realising, only to find yourself back home hours later, wondering why your arm feels like it’s on fire.

So, when visiting the forest, it’s generally a good idea to behave as if you’re a careless touch away from agony.

P.S. The chunky green lepidopteran entertaining my daughter Anya above is an Atlas moth caterpillar. Not only not dangerous, but also one of the largest moth species in the world.



Check out these beauties here (PDF of the PowerPoint presentation Intriguing Caterpillars of Borneo by Alfred Y.C. Chung of the Sabah Forestry Department).
---

* Like this post? Please share here
* Start your own blog here
What kind of mood was God in, creating all creatures great and small, and coming up with this one, and parasitic wasps and...and...
 
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When I first saw your title, I thought of the old (poorly acted) space soap, 'Lost in Space' from way-back-when. The robot used to call out, "Danger, danger, Will Robinson!" Then when you began to talk about the most dangerous creature in the rainforest... I thought you meant humans. Great post... enjoyed the read. The most ferocious caterpillars round my way are the ones that chomp on your cabbages.
 
When I first saw your title, I thought of the old (poorly acted) space soap, 'Lost in Space' from way-back-when. The robot used to call out, "Danger, danger, Will Robinson!" Then when you began to talk about the most dangerous creature in the rainforest... I thought you meant humans. Great post... enjoyed the read. The most ferocious caterpillars round my way are the ones that chomp on your cabbages.
My husband does indeed make similarly frantic arm movements when I get too close to what I think is a cute and fluffy caterpillar.

'Danger! Danger!'
'Oh, but it'll be a beautiful butterfly!'
'Nope' he says as he sends it sailing into the bush with a flick of a stick.

As for humans, that's a whole other blog post...
 

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