You Can Call Me Flower*

Muse, Oct 2004

We admit that poop defense thing was pretty gross, even for the Muse October issue. To make up for it, here is another bug, but one that disguises itself with flower petals rather than poop. Synchlora, another of Tom Eisner's insect favorites, looks like a pale-green inch-worm when it is naked. But it usually doesn't stay naked for long. It cuts off pieces of flower petals and fastens them to tiny clusters of spines on its back with strands of silk until it too looks like a flower. As the petal pieces wilt, the caterpillar replaces them, keeping its bouquet forever-fresh. When fully dressed, it is invisible to birds and lizards that might relish a soft green morsel-and to most people as well, who might relish a wonder of nature.

* Ten bonus points to readers who correctly identify the source of this quote.