46 Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
I
t's hard to pick a favorite insect, but I have anyway. It's
the camouflaged looper, which is an inchworm that turns
into the wavy-lined emerald moth. The moth is pretty
enough and I'm sure is fascinating in its own right, but it's
the caterpillar I love.
The camouflaged looper feeds on flowers of many kinds.
What makes it incredible, though, is that it also selects
pieces of the plant it's munching on and glues them to its
back as camouflage. When it switches to another kind
of flower, it changes its disguise to match. It's a really
impressive strategy for a tiny creature with an even tinier
brain.
I've only been lucky enough to spot this little inchworm
a handful of times, despite being on constant lookout for
it. I guess that's a testament to the effectiveness of its
camouflage, but it also makes every sighting an event to
celebrate.
My most recent looper observation came at the Nature
Conservancy's Niobrara Valley Preserve after finishing up
a long day in the field. I actually spotted the inchworm on a
sunflower as I was driving slowly down a two-track road and
scanning for photo opportunities. I have the eyes of a hawk,
no big deal.
Anyway, I stopped and photographed the critter and
My Favorite Insect
Gets Even Better
Story and photos by Chris Helzer
Here's the camoufl aged looper as I fi rst saw it on stiff sunfl ower.
