The colourful caterpillars of the Mopane Emperor Moth can swarm in huge numbers when conditions are right. They can defoliate trees and are edible

---

The colourful caterpillars of the Mopane Emperor Moth can swarm in huge numbers when conditions are right. They can defoliate trees and are collecedt as food by locals

---

Size: 4088px × 6200px
Location: Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Photo credit: © Nick Greaves / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 2, abdomen, africa, arthropod, attraction, belina, blue, bushveld, camouflage, caterpillar, chitin, colour, colourful, dependant, diet, diurnal, diverse, ecdysis, edible, egg, emperor, exoskeleton, family, feathery, foliovore, giant, gonimbrasia, green, group, grub, hexapoda, holometabolous, insect, invertebrate, jointed, largest, larvae, leg, lepidoptera, life, metamorphosis, mopane, moths, national, pairs, park, pheromones, pigment, plant, pollination, proboscis, pupae, reproduction, ruaha, saturniidae, scales, seasonal, segments, silkworm, spikes, stable, swarming, tanzania, variable, wings, worm, yellow