It's a Spitfire! In fact, it's a whole squadron of Spitfires.
A Spitfire, I hear you say?
Not quite, grasshopper. Well, how about this Spitfire?
Closer, but still no cigar. True, at least she's an animal this time, but she's not quite as vituperative as her namesake.
The Pergid Sawfly grubs known in Australia as Spitfires certainly make up for their small size in vituperation, however. Having them spit a mixture of cyclic ethers and monoterpenoids (sequestered from the Eucalyptus leaves they eat) can be a memorable experience. Here's a different species that I saw today, rearing up in threat posture.
Some sawflies are of concern to agriculture in Australia (and Brazil and Uruguay) because the grubs are poisonous to livestock if eaten, quite apart from their leaf-eating habits, although their appetite does make them potential weed-control animals in some parts of the world. Some species will gather in their thousands, or if more dispersed tap away to each other on the leaves by way of communication (as they were doing in this shot), but even the two (or quite possibly three) species I've seen so far this summer are doing their best to defoliate the host tree, despite their relatively few numbers.
They start off quite small. Some species are guarded by their mother while they're still small and vulnerable - see this photo by Zosterops - because their chemical defences are insufficient to protect them from everything. The Chews have photos of young spitfires being thoughtfully contemplated by a parasitoid fly, for example, as well as many shots of other species, and the adults.
They start off quite small. Some species are guarded by their mother while they're still small and vulnerable - see this photo by Zosterops - because their chemical defences are insufficient to protect them from everything. The Chews have photos of young spitfires being thoughtfully contemplated by a parasitoid fly, for example, as well as many shots of other species, and the adults.