We’ve been keeping an eye on an Oenochroma vinaria caterpillar on the Burrendong Beauty hakea, a striking animal that will, all being well, grow into a beautiful moth, and while checking it out today we noticed a nice spider ensconced on some grass stems. Every time we went near it was galvanised into action, waving its legs and warning us off with a great show of bluff. It is a Neosparassus species, a group that are called badge spiders because of the ventral “badge” that is shown in the second picture.
And the caterpillar? yes, here it is.
Click to enlarge
