Charlie is here

Some insect was stripping bare one of my 'curry leaf' plants for the past few days. The dark globular droppings on the floor under the branches were growing larger with every passing day, indicating that the leaves were possibly being devoured by a caterpillar.

But try as i did, i could not locate it.

And then yesterday morning, i discovered my new Charlie...

 

Charlie is smooth and hairless and extremely well-camouflaged. I could spot it only because the plant had become considerably defoliated over the last few days and Charlie, now a couple of inches in length, was munching away on a stem stripped bare in the foreground. I have never seen this particular variety of caterpillar earlier...

I couldn't spot Charlie on the plant last night. Went looking for it this morning and Charlie was not to be seen. The plant had lost a few additional leaves overnight, but where was Charlie ?

After some looking around, i discovered it on an adjacent hibiscus plant...

It was dormant and had begun to pupate. Clutching the stem with its posterior legs, the free-standing anterior was harnessed by a couple of fine silk threads....

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