What is perhaps the most feared creature of the Borneo rainforest, I hear you ask? Who is the King or Queen of the Forest?

The sun bear, the clouded leopard, the orangutan, the pygmy elephant, the reticulated python, even the cobra and the pit viper do pack a punch when threatened, but most prefer to get on with their daily lives. If you were to meet one in the forest, you’d nod respectfully and turn aside to keep out of each other’s way. They’re the aristocracy for sure, but not exactly tyrannical monarchs.

(We once had a juvenile cobra slither under our baby son’s hammock and what did we do? Gently shepherd it back outside.)

But there is one creature that will send us into a frantic dash for the nearest weapon-like implement.

Caterpillars. Rainforest Royalty.

They are universally feared because of their tiny (sometimes not so tiny) hollow hairs called setae, connected to poison sacs. According to local wisdom, just the slightest touch shoots them into your flesh. Once embedded, they can be impossible to locate and will release tissue-eating toxins for days or even weeks, slowly rotting you from the inside out.

And these guys are often camouflaged, doing a great job at mimicking twigs, bark, leaves, bird droppings or fungi. You could brush up against one without realising, only to find yourself back home hours later, wondering why your arm feels like it’s on fire.

So, when visiting the forest, it’s generally a good idea to behave as if you’re a careless touch away from agony.

P.S. The chunky green lepidopteran entertaining my daughter Anya above is an Atlas moth caterpillar. Not only not dangerous, but also one of the largest moth species in the world.

Check out these beauties here (PDF of the PowerPoint presentation Intriguing Caterpillars of Borneo by Alfred Y.C. Chung of the Sabah Forestry Department).