Have you ever seen this insect, or perhaps you've seen it many times? Many people feel afraid and disgusted by it. Before I discovered the world of insects, I felt the same way. I was terrified when I encountered a caterpillar. Even though they're so small, I still felt scared. But now, meeting them is like meeting a friend.
Well, I found this tiny caterpillar exploring someone's corn. He was enjoying the corn stigma. As can be seen, all the stigmas on the corn have been eaten by the caterpillars. He was thoroughly enjoying himself, ignoring me, who was observing him, even though my phone was very close to his body. Perhaps he could sense my presence and knew I wasn't his enemy, so he acted indifferent.
This tiny caterpillar is the larva of the Nygmiine tussock moth, or scientifically known as Orvasca subnotata, and belongs to the Erebidae family. It's also important to know that the larvae, or caterpillars, of the Nygmiine tussock moth are among the most voracious caterpillars. You can see right away that the corn stigmas they're feasting on are gone.
Latin name | Orvasca subnotata | - | - | Observation date | 7 Sep, 2025 Camera used | realme 7 Pro Photographers | @reachdreams Location | Aceh, Indonesia
| Link to original community | | - | https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/312106320
Latitude | Longitude | Map | - | - | - | 4.695135 | 96.7493993 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=4.695135&mlon=96.7493993