The biggest, fattest caterpiller I have ever seen

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:46 pm

It is about 5 inches long and as thick as my thumb. I have brought one home to see what it eventually becomes but I get the feeling it is only going to do this in the spring. I found it in a park about 3-4 miles away.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:34 pm

Joan, I believe you have a "Mopane worm". See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonimbrasia_belina. Searching Google for "Gonimbrasia belina" will turn up lots more details. It's an edible caterpillar, supposed to be highly nutritious, harvested for income and diet supplement across much of southern Africa.

See Insects and Human Life at Google Books for an interesting read.

It also forms an important item of trade, and it is estimated that more than 1,600 metric tons of dried caterpillars are annually traded through co-operative markets.
...
Mopane worms are such a sought-after delicacy in southern Africa that they form the basis of a huge cash industry, and, in good seasons, a person harvesting the caterpillars can earn in a few weeks a substantial income -- almost equivalent to a year's income as a farm labourer."

The adult is a large moth.

--Rik

Edit: fix spelling typo.

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:01 am

Well when you have eaten it Joan you can tell us all what it tastes like!

DaveW

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:33 am

Dave commented:

Well when you have eaten it Joan you can tell us all what it tastes like!

Well I do not know about Daves area of the world but around here folks would say, if you might could get them eat one, "it tastes like chicken." Seems everything not shoved through the window of a "fast food" establishment, tastes like chicken. Though over the years, I have dined on and sampled some very exotic foods and I must say that the only thing that tastes like chicken, is chicken.

Great shot here Joan

, the cat reminds me of some of the larger ones I have seen around here, though the color and species of yours is quite different. However I would not give up my day job to go out collecting caterpillars for sale, well maybe it you own Bait and Tackle, DVD Rental, Discount Cigarette, Cheap Gas and Beer, Hunting and Fishing, Camping Supply, RV Park, and Outdoor Clothing Outlet.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:22 am

Rik you are fantastic!!

How did you ever find it? I have heard of, and know about them but have never actually seen them!! Well until now that is.

They have always been eaten by our local people and as the inset says, are now becoming a thriving export market, but another intersting fact is that the most wonderful silk clothing is being made from the threads it spins. At one stage during their cycle, they spin cocoons and this is what is used.

Thanks again!!

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:24 am

Dave

Well when you have eaten it Joan you can tell us all what it tastes like!

Not me Dave, I would rather eat grass and leaves thank you!!

Thanks for the comment!!

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:30 am

Ken

Great shot here Joan , the cat reminds me of some of the larger ones I have seen around here, though the color and species of yours is quite different.

Thanks Ken. As for eating it, see the reply to Dave's comment.

I have seen quite a lot of caterpillars now but nothing along the size of this.

After Rik helping me with identification I went and had a look at some and there tends to be a colour variation too. Some have more red on them and others tend to be more green.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:01 am

Only if I was starving

That is one big caterpiller Joan and a great picture also. A nice low down angle and good focus on the head area.

JLepore · Post by **JLepore** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:38 am

Joan,

The caterpillar you found is certainly in the Gonimbrasia genus. I am not sure it is belina. It could very well be G. tyhrrea. It is a genus with many species in South Africa. And the caterpillars all look quite similar. Wikipedia is good only for very general information. When used to identify critters to species level it is not particularly useful.

The caterpillar you found was looking for a place to pupate. They pupate in the ground and emerge a few months later. I am sure there are at least 2, probably 3 broods a year in South Africa. The caterpillars of all Gonimbrasia are communal feeders in the early instars and then they spread out later in their cycle. This communal nature is how the came to be harvested in large quantity for food. I have even seen them canned and sold to specialty markets in the UK and the USA. Though I have not seen this for many years.
5 inches long is big. But they get a good bit bigger. It is likely the one you found had already shrunk a little bit as that is common and begins almost the moment they start crawling on the ground looking for a place to pupate.

I am sure yours will pupate and if it is not parastized it will hatch again in 30-90 days. Once the adult emerges it will be a little easier to identify to the species level.

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:29 pm

What a fat and big caterpillar!

For those who do not eat fresh caterpillars here are some recipes:

NO BAKE CATERPILLAR CAKE

1 c. milk
3 3/4 oz. pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
8 1/2 oz. pkg. (about 36) chocolate wafers
String licorice
Assorted candies or colored sugar
Green tinted coconut, if desired

In small bowl, combine milk and pudding mix. Beat with rotary beater or at low speed until well combined, about 1 minute; let stand 5 minutes. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping. Spread 1 tablespoon pudding mixture onto each chocolate wafer.

On large piece of foil, stack frosted wafer to form 1 long roll. Wrap roll in foil; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Remove from foil; place on serving plate. Spread remaining whipped topping over top and halfway down sides of roll. Use licorice strings to form "antennae". Decorate with assorted candies or colored sugar. Arrange green tinted coconut around caterpillar. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, cut diagonally into slices. 12 servings.

CATERPILLAR SANDWICH

10 sm. soft dinner rolls, each about 3 inches in diameter
Ham salad or tuna-carrot salad (recipes follow)
21 pitted ripe olives or seedless grapes
2 sm. celery sticks

Split each roll in half horizontally; fill rolls with your choice of ham or tuna salad. Arrange filled rolls in an "S" shape on a serving tray. Spear olives on wooden picks; push 2 olives into either side of each roll for legs (or simply set olives alongside rolls). Push remaining olive, cut in half, into front roll for eyes.

For antennae, push celery sticks into front roll. You may assemble the sandwich up to 1 hour ahead, then cover with a damp cloth and hold at room temperature until serving time.

HAM SALAD:

In a bowl, blend 2 cups ground cooked ham, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon mustard and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire. Mix well.

TUNA-CARROT SALAD:

In a bowl, combine 1 (9.25 oz.) can solid-pack tuna, drained and flaked, 1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and 3/4 cup coarsely shredded peeled carrot. Stir gently to blend.

CREEPING CATERPILLAR

2 pt. mint chocolate chip or pistachio ice cream
8 chocolate wafer cookies
28 miniature marshmallows
2 (3 inch) pieces red licorice
2 green candy covered peanuts
1 red hot candy

Scoop 8 scoops ice cream into cookies. Arrange in a zigzag ion cookie sheet or tray. Place 2 marshmallows on each side of 7 scoops for feet. Insert licorice in top of eighth scoop for antennae. Stick peanuts on for eyes. Freeze at least 1 hour. Just before serving, position red hot for mouth. Makes 8 servings.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:39 pm

Doug

Only if I was starving

Thanks Doug. LOL!! Not even then!!! I will still stick to grass and leaves.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:41 pm

Nikola

For those who do not eat fresh caterpillars here are some recipes:

Thanks Nikola, you are making us hungry.

JoanYoung · Post by **JoanYoung** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:56 pm

JLepore

The caterpillar you found is certainly in the Gonimbrasia genus. I am not sure it is belina.

Thank you for this wonderful information. This makes more sense to me now!! All the pictures I saw of the Mopane worms were much redder than mine but I thought that maybe it was just a different stage of developement.
It also explains why there were so many about one day and were all gone the next. Mine has burrowed into the sand and I am eagerly waiting to see what will hatch. I will take pics of it and post them when that happens.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:43 pm

JLepore wrote:...The caterpillar you found is certainly in the Gonimbrasia genus. I am not sure it is belina. It could very well be G. tyhrrea. It is a genus with many species in South Africa. And the caterpillars all look quite similar. Wikipedia is good only for very general information. When used to identify critters to species level it is not particularly useful.
...
I am sure yours will pupate and if it is not parastized it will hatch again in 30-90 days. Once the adult emerges it will be a little easier to identify to the species level.

JLepore, welcome aboard and thanks for your first post! We can always use some more entomological expertise.

I slipped up if I implied that this was for sure G. belina. That was just a handy ref for the level of info that seemed appropriate here. Even the Insects and Human Life excerpt that I linked to describes a couple of other species, G. zambesina and G. rectilineata. I have no first-hand knowledge and no good reference material for any of these. If Joan can get it through to adult, I'll be very interested to see what it turns out to be. For that matter, if the beast is parasitized, I'll be very interested to see what the parasitoid turns out to be!

Joan, it's hard to tell about the coloration. There's a good chance that many of the pictures labeled "Mopane worm" and/or belina are actually one of the other Gonimbrasia species. I do note that at the Insects and Human Life link, it writes that "Gonimbrasia zambesina is probably commoner and more widespread. Its head and body is black, with the body mottled with blue, yellow and red speckling, and with dark red to black spines. It has been noted on mango, oleander and msumwa (Diospyros mespiliformis) trees." I remember for sure seeing that one of the pictures was labeled as eating mango, which would suggest zambesina rather than belina, which is described as "very much associated with the mopane or tsanya tree". Perhaps JLepore could fill in some other info on these or other possibilities?

In any event, if you're lucky you'll end up with a big moth, and if you're not you may end up with some interesting flies or wasps. Be sure the moth has something to crawl up on and room to expand its wings, and we'll eagerly await the next report.

Oh, one other thing. The caterpillar that spins silk may well be another species again. These critters that dig to pupate don't usually spin usable cocoons. But apparently the mopane tree is host also for at least one wild silk moth, whose cocoons are harvested for that purpose.

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:24 pm

Well I have nothing to add to the caterpillar discussion but I would like to welcome JLepore to the forums. Glad to have you aboard. I am sure your expertise will come in quite handy. So pull up a chair, have a cup of coffee and make yourself at home.