Here's a couple of photos of a sweet/tart tasting, tennis ball-size fruit that we couldn't identify, and a couple of photos of a catapillar that could move , but if touched became rigid and appeared to be a small twig. Anyone able to identify either? They are both from the Kigosi area of western Tanzania.
[IMG]http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i164/sgraves155_photos/Fruit1.jpg[IMG]

/

The fruit looks like a Monkey orange, it is difficult to tell the exact speccies, there are a couple of monkey orange's.

I will ask my daughter if she can identify the catepillar

Thanks ALF and Jaco, PH Dean Kendall said he thought it was a Monkey Orange, but wasn't sure. It tasted good, and I didn't swallow any seeds. Jaco, If your daughter can identify the catepillar, I would like to know if it becomes a moth or butterfly or what. Thanks again.

Steve,
My daughter is 100% sure that it is a catipilar of the hawk moths. Because it is dead it discolours, but she is reasonably sure that it can be the Death's Head Hawk moth, Acherontia atropos, it is a very beautiful moth.

I can tell you this, saw them in Tanzania...Hard as a rock..The driver who knew much of the flora and fauna said, no common name for it...


Mike

/

Jaco, I think I found the "twig caterpillar" on a google search. I think it may be a little different than the death's head Moth. Here's some pictures from the net. #1 Death's Head Moth and growth stages, #2 "twig caterpillar, #3 twig caterpillar and a real twig #4 Moth from twig caterpillar ,#5 Death's Head Moth. #6 Death's Head Caterpillar. You are right about the death's Head being beautiful.