More than once I have failed to successfully (by my standards) photograph a butterfly’s larva due to insufficiently sophisticated equipment. However, those days are coming to an end, inching forward step by baby step, in odd undulating motions eerily akin to a caterpillar’s rolling gait.

While walking through the hills in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, butterflies are frequently seen, but rarely photographed – despite feverish pursuits looking through a lens, they are simply too fleeting. Fortunately, their pupal predecessors are slightly easier to catch up with, though their sighting is doubtful.

Insects, especially fluffy ones, can be cute and cuddly when seen from a distance. But up close, they can be… creepy.