These caterpillars belong to the lappet moth Metanastria gemella. Smriti Safaya photographed the group for an iNaturalist observation in December 2023. Alongside its close view of the caterpillars’ markings and hairs, the photograph records an encounter with a particular species in a particular place – a small contribution to a shared record of Hong Kong biodiversity.

Image: Smriti Safaya