See the universe in the marvelous googly-eyed cosmic caterpillar of the Pacific fruit-piercing moth (Eudocima phalonia), and you’ll never be the same. This is mother nature’s best expression of art.

While some caterpillars appear like snakes to avoid predators, the cosmic caterpillar screams, ‘eat the stars.’ Yet, it often hides during the day and becomes active at night to feed, furthering its cosmic resemblance.

As dazzling as they are in the larva stage, looking like the cosmos, these caterpillars are a severe pest in their moth stage.

As the adults burst out of their cocoons, they are known to destroy ripe fruit harvests across Hawaii, Australia, to India. It’s a vivid illustration of the dual beauty and ferocity of the natural world.

Here are some more pics of the cosmic caterpillar’s advanced larva stage and its appearance as an adult moth. It does an incredible leaf mimic.

Life cycle stages of the Cosmic Caterpillar of the Pacific fruit-piercing moth

Stage	Duration	Characteristics	Behavior
Egg	3-5 days	Small, round, and pale-colored	Laid on host plant
Larva (Caterpillar)	2-4 weeks	Cosmic appearance; later stages resemble leaves	Feeds on foliage; hides during the day
Pupa (Chrysalis)	1-2 weeks	Enclosed in a cocoon; transformation stage	Immobile; metamorphosis into adult occurs
Adult (Moth)	2-3 weeks	Destructive to ripe fruit; wings resemble leaves	Actively damages fruit; mates and lays eggs