Ethiopia is home to some of the most unique wildlife in Africa. While the consumption of caterpillars may seem unusual to some, it’s normal in many cultures, and the larvae are nutritious and rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals!
However, some caterpillars can be harmful. Let's explore some notable species and the potential dangers they pose.
Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth (Bunaea alcinoe)
The Cabbage tree emperor moth (Bunaea alcinoe) is a very large, common, and colourful species of Saturniidae moth from tropical Africa. In some parts of Africa, the species is considered to be economically important, for the caterpillars of this species are eaten by people. This species is also notable for being considered an ‘edible insect’.
Bunaea alcinoe is a quite variable species; and throughout its large distribution in Africa, that covers Angola, Benin, Burkina Fasso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DRCongo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe the markings, shape and colour of the moths can show differences individually and locally. Their colour can vary from light orange to dark red-brown.
One could wonder if Bunaea alcinoe is truly just one very variable species, or if perhaps, there still exist several undescribed species/subspecies!
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Life Cycle and Habitat
The larvae of Bunaea alcinoe are very large and covered with (harmless) spines. They come in several different colour forms. Most commonly encountered is the black form; this form has white or yellow spines, red spiracles, and an overall black cuticle. There is however, also a red form that is bright red with yellow spines - and in some localities there exists even an orange form, that has a dark orange cuticle.
This species is encountered in savannah, and in rainforest environments; the pupae of the moths are able to stay dormant for long periods of time (and diapause through the dry season). Typically, emergence is triggered by the wet, humid conditions of the monsoon season, during which the moths can emerge in large numbers. After mating, the moths deposit eggs on several types of trees and shrubs.
Larvae are often found on cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata; Araliaceae) - giving them the name ‘cabbage tree emperor moth’. Despite this fact, this species is no picky eater - and larvae have been observed eating dozens of plants, including but not limited to African Peach (Sarcocephalus latifoliu, Rubiaceae), several types of Acacia (Fabaceae), Anthocleista schweinfurthii (Gentianaceae), False Rubber Tree (Holarrhena floribunda, Apocynaceae) and many more! The fact it is more of a generalist (in relative terms, for a Saturniidae) than a specialist perhaps explains their wide distribution.
Larva of Bunaea alcinoe. Source: inaturalist.org
Rearing and Special Notes
Difficulty rating: Moderate - rearing the larvae is not hard (kind of easy even) if you give them the warmth and food plant they need. Pairing the moths is however problematic; pupae can stay dormant for long times and it’s hard to have males and females out at the same time. Sometimes males and females refuse to mate.
- Host plants: Cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata; Araliaceae), African Peach Tree, African Peach (Sarcocephalus latifoliu, Rubiaceae), several types of Acacia (Fabaceae), Anthocleista schweinfurthii (Gentianaceae), False Rubber Tree (Holarrhena floribunda, Apocynaceae), Ekebergia sengalensi (Meliaceae), Fragraea fragrans (Annonaceae), Spondias mombin (Anacardiaceae), Pepper tree (Schinus sp.; Anacardiaceae), Maesa lanceolata (Primulaceae) and many more! Truly this species is a polyphagous opportunist that can feed on dozens of trees and shrubs.
- Natural range: Angola, Benin, Burkina Fasso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DRCongo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
- Generations: Multivoltine - Seems to have one to two broods per year atleast. Diapauses in dry season; pupae emerge during monsoon season after warm rains.
- Preferred climate: Tropical.
- Special notes: Easy to raise; but synchronising pupae and pairing adults is hard.
The eggs of Bunaea alcinoe are easy to incubate on room temperature. In about 2+ weeks, expect many tiny caterpillars to hatch from the round, pale, white eggs! In Europe, I often raise them on Liquidambar (Sweetgum), Privet (Ligustrum) or Common ivy (Hedera helix) with good result. The first instars are easily raised in closed plastic boxes (it’s possible to add small ventilation holes to get rid of excess moisture); but generally they like it on the warm and humid side. After hatching, the larvae will gather in groups - the early instars of this species are gregarious. Make sure to clean the container and replace food every 3-4 days. Keep them warm; preferably above 22C.
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After consuming enough leaves, the larvae will shed their skin! The second instar looks quite different; usually back (or red) with white spines. The second instar can easily be raised in plastic containers with adequate space (tip: add paper towel to make it easier to clean). After the second instar, it’s wise to move the larvae to a larger enclosure. In instar 3, the larvae develop their typical look; if they’re the black form, expect black larvae with red spiracles, and white (or yellow) spines. In this stage they’re still social!
In the fourth instar, the larvae finally become somewhat solitary (although they don’t really seem to mind high densities of larvae). In this stage, I prefer to move them to a large enclosure that offers plenty of space and food plant. They can feed rapidly, and rearing a dozen or so individuals means they’ll consume a lot of food! I use large pop-up cages (make sure the indoor conditions are not too dry) or even better, plastic boxes with ventilation grids. In terms of host plants, they seem to develop just fine on Ligustrum, Liquidambar or Hedera helix. Experimentation with new food plants is worthwhile since this species is quite polyphagous!
My larvae were the black form; and they either had yellow or white spines. As menacing as they look the larvae are quite harmless; the spines aren’t particularly sharp or toxic. The fifth instar larvae can be gigantic, if they are raised in proper conditions! Just the larvae of this moth are worth rearing, let alone the moths. While generally harmless, they do have one defense mechanism: if the larvae are touched, expect copious amounts of regurgitation.
The caterpillars are capable of regurgitating the contents of their crop. This can be an effective deterrent; especially if the larvae have been feeding on plants that contain noxious substances. If you dislike the idea of vomit, it could be worth using gloves (although it is mostly harmless).
In Africa, larvae of these species are collected in large numbers, for human consumption. Typically the larvae are crushed and their gut content is removed. Next, the bodies of the larvae are left to dry in the sun. Research has shown the larvae are rich in animal proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals! The larvae are sometimes eaten raw, but typically added to hot stews or soups. Considering how widespread and polyphagous Bunaea alcinoe is, commercial exploitation is not deemed to be a threat to their conservation. In some cases, larvae are locally reared for consumption.
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Bunaea alcinoe do not spin cocoons; like many of their Bunaeini relatives they prefer to burrow underground and pupate in a subterranean chamber in the soil. In captivity, larvae will pupate in substrate. While some breeders prefer to use soil, personally I let them pupate in containers that contain humid paper kitchen towels. Prepupae will shrivel up before shedding their skins.
The pupae of Bunaea alcinoe are very hardy, and have a very thick chitin shell! And they have to be, considering this species can remain dormant for a long time. Pupae of Bunaea alcinoe are capable of diapausing for years - remaining dormant until they like the conditions. In the wild, the species tends to have two broods a year during the monsoon season.
Their emergence is likely triggered by the warm rains during the rainy season - and development is possibly triggered by cues such as humidity, barometric pressure and more(?). On the flip side, the species has to remain dormant during the dry seasons. During the dry season, there is less suitable vegetation available and the landscape can be quite barren. These conditions are not optimal for moths - and many tropical African Saturniids moths have peak flights near the start of the monsoons.
In captivity, it is notoriously hard to synchronise the pupae. Breeders trying to breed this species outside of its native range often run into issues; such as the moths emerging from their pupae very sporadically - sometimes even months or years(!) apart. Considering their short lifespans, one would have to be lucky to have a male and female emerge around the same time! Personally I have observed pupae staying dormant for over 2.5 years in captivity before any moths appeared.
It is unclear if pupae diapause that long in the wild. Maybe not - there’s a chance they are missing a number of environmental cues they rely on in the wild, to synchronise the moths eclosing from the pupae. It could be worth it to try and simulate the African dry season / wet season - perhaps it would result in the moths eclosing more predictably!
In east Africa, typically the dry season runs from May to September, with June and July relatively cool and August and September hot and humid. The (warm!) wet season begins in November and finishes in March.
Imagoes prefer to pair in hot(!) conditions in larger enclosures. Pairings are short and rarely observed; perhaps the mating lasts shorter than one hour(?). To me, rearing the larvae seemed to be somewhat easy - but pairing the moths is challenging. Sometimes males and females refuse to mate even if the conditions are seemingly right. And you have to be lucky to have a male and female at the same time in the first place!
The moths are extremely impressive, and quite variable in colour, shape and size! This species is worth rearing several times, just to observe the differences in the larvae and adults, when it comes to rearing livestock from different countries!
Episode one: how to tell if a caterpillar is poisonous
Other Dangerous Caterpillars
While the Bunaea alcinoe caterpillar is generally harmless, other species pose a threat due to their venomous characteristics.
Lonomia Obliqua
Lonomia obliqua caterpillar. Source: wikipedia.org
Lonomia obliqua is a species of saturniid moth ("giant silk moth") from South America. It is famous for its larval form, rather than the adult moth, primarily because of the caterpillar's defense mechanism, urticating bristles that inject a potentially deadly venom. The caterpillar has been responsible for many human deaths, especially in southern Brazil. Its venom has been the subject of numerous medical studies.
These caterpillars are about 4.5 to 5.5 centimeters (about 2 in) long, with background colors ranging from green to brown. Caterpillars of many species can cause irritation by their hollow body hairs that envenom or detach easily, or can be poisonous if ingested. Prior to investigations into Lonomia caterpillars, it was not known that caterpillars could produce toxins in sufficient quantities to kill a human.
Lonomia obliqua is found in the south of Brazil in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná. The species appears to be spreading to the southeast of Brazil, and recent accidents with the species were reported in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais. L. The species became internationally known when an epidemic occurred in an agrarian community in Rio Grande do Sul.
Symptoms and Effects
Hematoma and gangrene-like symptoms manifested, spreading throughout the body, eventually causing massive blood leakage into the brain and, in several cases, death. At first the cause could not be determined, although each victim stated they had "just handled a bunch of leafy branches to break the trail or gather vegetation." Exploring the area, the only creature commonly found within all the incidents was the L. obliqua caterpillar.
Lonomia obliqua has a toxic venom which causes disseminated intravascular coagulation and a consumptive coagulopathy, which can lead to a hemorrhagic syndrome. The toxins are stored in sacs at the base of each spine. It was discovered that the toxin in the caterpillar's skin held potent anti-clotting agents. This anti-clotting agent would attach to another protein of the body's cells and cause them to leak as blood is unable to clot. This internal bleeding would fill the surrounding tissue with "bruised blood". This internal bleeding spreads through the internal organs and eventually leads to compression and brain death. This accounts for the minimum of 500 deaths resulting from contact with L.
Of the 26 species of the genus Lonomia found on the American continent, only Lonomia obliqua and Lonomia achelous have caused severe reactions, leading to hemorrhagic syndrome. Since 1989 the number of human accidents caused by these caterpillars has been increasing in the southern region of Brazil. Most victims were male (63%), many were between 0 and 19 years old (45%), and lesions are especially common on the hands (38%). In a 2021 study, caterpillar accidents in Brazil attributed to Lonomia obliqua between 2007 and 2017 amounted to 42,264 recorded cases.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation occurs as the toxin interacts with the victim's body. One serious effect on envenomed victims is hemorrhage syndrome. "First described by Arocha-Pinango and Layrisse in Venezuela in 1967, the hemorrhagic diathesis caused in humans by touching the Lonomia species begins with inflammatory changes at the site of envenoming, followed by systemic symptoms such as headache, fever, vomiting, and malaise.
Although few cases are recorded, a case study of a fatal encounter was published in Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria: "A 70-year-old, previously healthy woman developed a sudden coma. Four days before, she had started to present hematuria. Shortly after admission, her coma was rated as Glasgow 3. Physical examination revealed several skin hemorrhages, and gross hematuria was present. Based on information in a note left by the patient, two small hyperemic lesions were identified on the tip of her left toe. Along with the note was the green caterpillar which was hidden inside of her slipper. CT-scan imaging revealed multiple intracerebral hemorrhages.
Treatment
While there are many reported cases of serious injuries and fatalities, there are not many records of proper treatment should an individual be stung. According to Dr. Robert Norris, stings and abrasions caused by Lonomia obliqua should be treated with antifibrinolytics. If blood products are required, they must be given cautiously to avoid fueling the constant consumptive coagulopathy. An antiserum is produced by the Butantan Institute in São Paulo, Brazil.
Hickory Tussock Caterpillar
Hickory Tussock Caterpillar. Source: farmersalmanac.com
The hickory tussock caterpillar has also been sighted in New York and Pennsylvania. If you come across hickory tussock caterpillars crawling on foliage, it might be tempting to touch them. However, you'll want to reconsider, as their black spines are armed with venom designed to deter predators.
Why Hickory Tussock Caterpillar Hairs Can Hurt You
The hairs on the hickory tussock caterpillar contain barbs that can easily break off and become embedded in your skin, leading to potential trouble. These black hairs contain venom, and when the barbs remain lodged in your skin, they release a chemical that can spread across the surface and cause painful skin irritation.
Not Deadly, But Still Dangerous
The venom of the hickory tussock caterpillar is not highly toxic, so if you do touch one, you're probably not going to have catastrophic health issues. However, it's important to note that allergic reactions are common, which can result in an itchy, burning rash or welts.
Treat Reactions and Know When to See a Doctor
The good news is that any reaction should typically go away within 24 hours, as long as you carefully remove the barbs and treat the affected area with an antihistamine. In the event of a more significant reaction, you should always see a doctor!
Endangered Animals in Ethiopia
Many of the most dangerous animals happen to be the most endangered, as well. The Black Rhino and Lion commonly fall victim to severe cases of poaching.
The Ethiopian Wolf is not only the most endangered carnivore in Africa, with fewer than 440 individuals remaining, but also it is endemic to the country’s highlands, restricted to just seven isolated enclaves in the region.
The Somali Wild Ass is a subspecies of the African Wild Ass, which is a relative of the donkey. There are likely only about 700 in the wild and about 200 in captivity in zoos around the world.
Poaching continues to be the largest threat to these animals, as the ivory trade ignores the laws and other international efforts toward regulation. Habitat loss is another major threat to this species.
| Animal | Description | Habitat | Endangered Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopian Wolf | Endemic carnivore | Ethiopian Highlands | Endangered |
| Somali Wild Ass | Subspecies of African Wild Ass | Wilderness areas | Endangered |
| Black Rhino | Large herbivore | Grassland and savanna | Endangered |
| Lion | Apex predator | Grassland and savanna | Vulnerable |
