May 2025 • Nebraskaland 47
Camoufl age, But Make It Fashion
The larva of the wavy-lined emerald moth takes
camoufl age to another level. Also known as the camoufl age
looper caterpillar, this inchworm will chew off bits of fl owers
and attach the pieces to its body using silk from spinnerets
located under its mouth. The caterpillar becomes the fl ower
and is virtually invisible to potential predators. When the
caterpillar moves to a diff erent fl ower, it can change its
"outfi t" to match its new surroundings.
Invisibility Cloak
Although they are considered arachnids and not insects,
I couldn't leave out these spectacular spiders. In Nebraska,
we have two notable crab spider species — the white-banded
crab spider and the goldenrod crab spider — that perform
an elaborate disappearance act. These tiny magicians can
shift their coloration between white and yellow depending
on the fl ower from which they choose to ambush their prey.
To accomplish this sorcery, they spend two to three days
either mobilizing sequestered pigments or synthesizing new
pigments. There are only a few arachnids in the world known
to have this adaptation.
Camouflaged looper caterpillar dressed in yarrow petals.
White-banded crab spider using its color-shifting
ability to blend in on a black-eyed susan.
