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A new carnivorous caterpillar species was discovered in Hawaii by scientists at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, who nicknamed it the “bone collector” because it is the only one in the world that adds insect body parts to the silk case it lives in.
The study describing it for the first time was published April 24, 2025, in the scientific journal Science, which highlights how rare the discovery is: “Worldwide, predatory caterpillars account for less than 0.13% of the nearly 200,000 species of moths and butterflies.”
What the New and Strange Hawaiian Caterpillar Scientists Found Is Like
This insect is a member of the Hawaiian caterpillar family known as Fancy Case or Hyposmocoma. It is among the few that are carnivorous and survives in webs built inside rock cavities or tree hollows.
Experts explain that its evolutionary origins date back at least six million years, which places them long before the Hawaiian Islands even existed as they are known today. That suggests they may once have lived in a much larger area that is now underwater.
At the time of the discovery, it was determined that this caterpillar is endangered, since it was seen only in a 15-square-kilometer patch of forest in the Waiʻanae Range on the island of Oʻahu.
Why the “Bone Collector” Caterpillar Is So Strange
Experts describe a strange habit that sets these caterpillars apart: they live in webs where different insects get trapped and feed on the carcasses when they find them, though they can also eat insects caught by spiders. The study says they can even chew through the web’s silk threads to reach their food.
“They are not only the only caterpillars in the world that decorate their homes with body parts, but perhaps even more remarkably, they make a living hanging around spider webs. This is something we never imagined possible. But in Hawaii, it happens,” said Dan Rubinoff, a university professor and co-author of the study.
Because they can eat one another, there is usually only one of these caterpillars per web.
The Caterpillars That Decorate Their Homes With Insect Parts
Experts spotted remains from more than six different insect families in the caterpillars’ “home” -- their silk structures.
“When decorating their portable silk cases, the caterpillars are very selective. The body parts are carefully measured for size before the caterpillar adds them to its collection,” the experts said.
The study emphasizes the importance of “conservation attention” to preserve specimens of this strange species, which we now know is part of the Hawaiian ecosystem.