1. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. 
   ~ Richard Bach

Speckled Emperor Moth, (Wattled Emperor Moth, Mopane worm) resting on a Restios plant in my garden (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa). It is from the Saturniidae (Silk Moths) family.
Camera : Kodak EasyShare C195

This moth is widely distributed throughout southern, central and east Africa. Across most of its distribution, the species is bivoltine, with the first generation emerging from pupation in November to December and the second in February to March, only in more arid areas is it univoltine.

Adult moths lay a single cluster of 50 to 200 eggs around twigs or on the leaves of host plants over a two month period. After approximately ten days, the larvae emerge and then pass through five instars before pupation. Instars I to III of the caterpillars are strictly gregarious and will forage together in aggregations of 20 to 200 individuals. After moulting into instar IV, caterpillars disperse immediately to become solitary. The larval stage lasts approximately 6 weeks, during which time the caterpillars undergo a 4000 fold increase in body mass. At the end of the larval stage, the fifth instar caterpillars burrow into the soil, where they undergo a period of diapause. Eclosion occurs either one or six to seven months after pupation, depending on the generation. The non-feeding adult stage lasts only two to three days, during which time the only function of the imago is to find receptive mates and to oviposit.
^{Info from Mopane.org}

1. 21st February 2011 – FEATURED in Mozambique & Neighbouring Countries
2. 19th March 2011 – FEATURED in Art and Collectibles
3. 30th October 2011 – Placed in the TOP 10 of the challenge Moths in ‘African Art & Photography’ – 2nd Place

Greeting card

Mounted print

Poster for Class room or Field Study group