#Polyura athamas

[funstealer]

Caterpillar of Common Nawab (Polyura Athamas)

[spuddragon]

Rayquaza caterpillarrAAAAAAA

Based off of this silly guy

[elizastein]

[eternaljulez]

[onenicebugperday]

I've recently discovered the delightful news that there are several different species of dragon head caterpillars (such as Polyura athamas aka common nawab, and Charaxes wakefieldi aka the Forest queen) as well as there being multiple emperor caterpillars (such as Sasakia charonda aka the Japanese emperor, and Asterocampa clyton aka the tawny emperor).

How many dragon head caterpillars and emperor caterpillars are you aware of? And could you talk about the purpose of their "horns"?

I think there are a couple hundred species of each. For dragon-headed caterpillars (Charaxini), I read some time ago that they have venomous spines on their horns that can cause irritation if you touch them, so the horns would be defensive. Plus having big horns on your head makes you look bigger, more formidable, and harder to swallow. And I don't think it hurts when it comes to blending in with plants, either.

I can't say for sure with emperors (Apaturinae), but I imagine the horns are defensive and camouflage as well. As far as I know their horns are not venomous, but anyone feel free to correct me if you've read otherwise.

[ymbirarts]

Me and my beautiful weed smoking Polyura Athamas caterpillar bf

[davidkostyk-durast]

what's your favorite animal?

I don't know. There are a lot of interesting and fascinating animals existing. I like Phasmatodea, more commonly known as stick bugs or stick insects, due to how they look like twigs and have the perfect camouflage.

This is an example. They can grow to more than 50cm/22inches in length and are herbivore. They can be found almost everywhere in the world.

I also really like the Dragon Headed Caterpillars. There are about 400 different species of them and some can painfully sting. I'm specifically talking about the Polyura athamas, the Common Nawab butterfly one. That's what they look like:

There are far more intersting animals, but I think I picked two good examples.

[msexcelfractal]

What’s that? Dragon headed caterpillar is evolving

The butterfly is not dragon type?

Dragon headed caterpillar

[butididnottried]

But what if this is really going to be some weird butterfly creature? Most obvious but also the least expected thing to be.

[eda11y]

Polyura athamas (male) by knpandit2003

[futurebird]

Invertober continues!

IMAGE TEXT:

Invertober 2022 Prompt List:

1. Beyer’s scarab beetle (Chrysina beyeri)

2. Giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)

3. European rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes nasicornis)

4. Bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana)

5. Pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor)

6. Scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

7. Green leafhopper (Cicadella viridis)

8. Pacific banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus)

9. American comb jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi)

10. Atlantic ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata)

11. Common buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia)

12. Eastern lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera)

13. Bat star (Patiria miniata)

14. Dragon head caterpillar (Polyura athamas)

15. Giant Malaysian leaf insect (Pulchriphyllium giganteum)

16. Fuzzy golden nautilus (Allonautilus scrobiculatus)

17. Japanese oak silk moth (Antheraea yamamai)

18. Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus)

19. Common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)

20. Oak treehopper (Platycotis vittata)

21. Atlas beetle (Chalcosoma atlas)

22. Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)

23. Salt marsh moth (Estigmene acrea)

24. Pink velvet worm (Opisthopatus roseus)

25. Glass wing butterfly (Greta oto)

26. Peacock jumping spider (Maratus volans)

27. Squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa)

28. Jewel caterpillar (Acraga coa)

29. Zebra isopod (Armadillidium maculatum)

30. Peruvian leaf katydid (Typophyllum erosum)

31. Ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa)

[rainbow-scarab]

Also. I kinda think it would be funny if the primary peoples of the ancient civ were like. Grubs.

Grubberfly's Elegy has wings on it, after all.

AND. I've seen it pointed out before how one of the soul totems looks like what is called the dragon-headed caterpillar (Polyura athamas).

Would certainly give a an extra reason for the Collector's obsession and seeming study of the grubs!

...mostly, I'm just saying this cuz it amuses me XD The ancient civ was surely not just grubs. And in fact the soul totems come in multiple forms, not just ones looking like grubs. And yes, the Hallownest seal has three sets of wings, while Grubberfly's Elegy has four. Annnd the oval in the Hallownest seal, with the lines across it, reminds me more of the average bug labeled "husk", as are found prominently in the City of Tears and Crossroads.

But hey. Maybe the grubs were one prominent species, still around such ancient times.

Hallownest Symbols, the Ancient Civilization, and the Pale King

Sooo. Since I made my post on Hallownest symbols I've had some new insights.

The Hallownest symbol, with its lined oval and three sets of wings, predates the kingdom as it was under the Pale King and White Lady. It can be found on arcane eggs.

Lemm, on arcane eggs: This civilisation may claim itself the first, but something else did exist within this place before Hallownest. Each egg offers a narrow glimpse into that forgotten age.

It's not just the arcane eggs though. The symbol can also be found in the Abyss, on the lighthouse. Sorta.

You see, the lighthouse isn't just one structure--it's two. It's an older, crumbling structure....and then the new shiny construction that the Pale King added on top.

And looking at the older structure, the platforms themselves have the Hallownest symbol on it. Oval with wings.

Another detail I've noticed in the Abyss is that this structure isn't the only one. It can be seen in the background around the void sea:

Just, further cementing the thought that the old crumbling building beneath the shiny new top is not a construction under the Pale King, but instead something quite ancient. Just one of many buildings, a conveniently tall structure for the Pale King to repurpose into a lighthouse.

So what does this mean?

Various sources in the game point to the Pale King having portrayed himself as the creator of Hallownest. Lemm, in his quote above. And some more examples:

Lore tablet in King's Pass: Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Beyond this point you enter the land of King and Creator. Step across this threshold and obey our laws. Bear witness to the last and only civilisation, the eternal Kingdom. Hallownest

Hunter's Journal, on wingmoulds: The bugs of Hallownest believed that their King created this world and everything in it. For what purpose, I wonder? Were his subjects companions, or toys, or children? Such a mind seems unknowable.

The developer notes in the game also indicate that the Pale King wanted to get rid of other gods:

The moth tribe were (perhaps) descended from Radiance. However, the King convinced them somehow to seal Radiance away. I guess so he could rule Hallownest with his singular vision, as a monarch/god with no other gods.

The dev notes are not canon and it's clear that they were never intended to be seen by others. But I think there's something to be said at least for him attempting a "singular vision". Uniting Hallownest under one rule, portraying himself as creator, creating a certain order. Some more quotes:

Bardoon: For quiet retreat did I climb up here, away from spitting creatures. Ormmph... Yes. High up. Away from simple minds, lost to light. Theirs is a different kind of unity. Rejection of the Wyrm's attempt at order.

Mask Maker, reacting to Ghost having King's Brand: No bug has ever laid claim to this whole. Even the beasts knew their limits and bound their realm at Nest's edge. It is the ancient caste that made attempt at such vast rule. Hallownest's ruin reflects well those fared attempts.

I believe Mask Maker is referring to the Ancient Civilization having attempted to rule over all of Hallownest. There's a possibility they're referring to Hallownest under the Pale King, as "ancient" does not necessarily mean what fans call the Ancient Civilization (and indeed most instances of the word "ancient" refer to Hallownest under the Pale King). But "attempts" being in the plural, I think Mask Maker intends to draw a parallel here between the two civilizations.

Speaking of King's Brand...

I believe now this is the best symbol of the Pale King we have. His original symbol.

As I noted in my first post on Hallownest symbols, the Hallownest seal seems the most associated with the Pale King when it has the crown on it. And the few actual depictions of him, in statues, idols, and shrines, all have his crown, but lack wings. Save for the glowing silhouette of him in Ogrim's dream battle, there are no depictions of him with wings. He may lack wings entirely, or have some form of artificial wings.

In fact, I find it quite interesting how you can pick up monarch wings as an item.

They are described by the game as being made of "ethereal matter". The game manual calls them "wings of a monarchfly". It's possible that the Pale King had such wings as seen here, not part of his original body, but made somehow.

And, just to look at the symbols again...

If one were to superimpose the old Hallownest Seal from the time of the Ancient Civilization on top of the King's Brand, you'd get the current Hallownest Seal. Oval Bug body, wings, crown, and tail.

So, what I'm thinking, the impression that I'm getting....

The Pale King came to Hallownest. He saw all the evidence of the Ancient Civilization, which had already fallen. He took on bug form (which may have happened before or after he saw the symbol and other evidence of the ancient civ, but I have to wonder if witnessing Hallownest's history and symbols influenced even this decision to become small). He, for reasons beyond the purpose of this post, decided he wanted to rule Hallownest as king and "creator" (which again may or may not have been part of his decision to be reborn).

He established his kingdom. He took on aspects of preexisting Hallownest, essentially claiming the legacy of the Ancient Civilization as his own. He took on bug form, and gave himself wings, to match this old image, as if it was always about him.

He established his palace in the Ancient Basin. He had access to the Abyss, mostly closed off from the rest of the populace. He studied the void. But the bugs of the Ancient Civilization had a different attitude about void, as indicated by Lemm in the Hunter's Journal entry on the void idol:

Inspired or mad, those ancient bugs. They devoted their worship to no lord, or power, or strength, but to the very darkness itself.

The Pale King instead was worshipped as a god by his people. He instead treated the void as something to control. He studied it. He tested it. He created void constructs to guard his palace. He used it, to stake the future of his entire kingdom on.

I could go on and on about this. And I intend to. But this is as far as I will go in this post, meant to be an update to my last post on symbols. But, I already have a long post I put together months ago, didn't post, and just have to update with new thoughts. So hopefully, I'll be expanding on all the implications here for Hallownest history soon enough.

[sinobug]

CATERPILLARS from Yunnan, China Click on and scroll through images for individual IDs….. by Sinobug (itchydogimages) on Flickr. Pu’er, Yunnan, China See more Chinese caterpillars on my Flickr site HERE...

[adragonwholovesspace]

Name: Caterwings

Description: thick skin instead of scales, green blood, caterpillar patterns on body, wings shaped like moth wings, a range of colors, mostly green, always have visible green on them somewhere, always have false eye on tail

Abilities: extremely fast healing, can regenerate, extremely good climbers, tough thick skin is hard to get through, can create silk from their mouths

Queen: Athamas

King: Saturniid

Princess: Polyura

Prince: Satin

Caterwings live in the jungle with another tribe. They build homes using their silk to tie branches and leaves into buildings. It’s kind of like the rainwings home. They are excellent climbers and can cling to any surface. They have a fairly slow flight speed and their wings aren’t the toughest but they can run and climb extremely quickly. They eat small animals and fruit. They are the smallest Peloria tribe

Names: flowers, fruit, or insect(mostly moth) based. Insect names are most common

[charlotteproudlove]

Beautiful Polyura Athamas in vintage glass case. http://www.butterflydomes.co.uk #butterfly #butterflies #papillon #art #wildlife  #interiordecor #interiordesign #luxury #interiors #design #antique #taxidermy (at Charlton, London)

[jennascuriocabinet]

Appias Celestina, Appias Paulina and Polyura Athamas all now available for sale on Etsy! #forsale #appias #uniquegift #alternativeliving #alternativedecor #oddities #deadthings #oddity #curiousnature #taxidermyart #curioculture #curiosities #cabinetofcuriousites #artistlife #lepidoptera #insecttaxidermy #entomology #collectorspieces #etsyseller #etsyuk #ethicallysourced #supportsmallbusiness #curioshop #vultureculture #bohemian #botantical #insectsofinstagram #bugsofinstagram #availableonetsy #butterfliesofinstagram