This Bizarre Bug Just Made Hawaii Even More Unforgettable

At Beat of Hawaii, we’ve got a known soft spot for Honolulu. From unexpected hiking trails just minutes from Waikiki to wild moments in the hills above Manoa, this city never stops surprising us even after so many years. So when we read about a newly discovered caterpillar in the mountains above Honolulu—one that wears the remains of dead insects like armor—we knew we had to take a closer look for ourselves.

Yes, it sounds like something out of a horror movie. But it’s 100% real. And it’s just the latest example of how Hawaii still has the power to shock and amaze—even for those of us who’ve spent a lifetime writing about it.

It’s not every day that a creature discovered deep in the forests near Honolulu ends up in headlines from Reuters to Scientific American. But that’s exactly what happened when scientists revealed a newly discovered caterpillar with an eerie twist—it wears the remains of other insects.

While you needn’t worry that this creature will be crawling across your Waikiki resort lanai or sunbathing on epic Lanikai Beach, its bizarre existence is part of what makes Hawaii unlike anywhere else. And it’s a timely reminder that beyond the usual sunsets and surfboards, Hawaii still has secrets to share—especially for those willing to wander a little farther from the resort experience.

Meet the bone-wearing caterpillar and his Kauai spider frenemy.

Discovered in the Waianae Range above Honolulu, this insect is part of the Hyposmocoma genus—already renowned for other strange behaviors. But this particular species takes it to a whole new level. It scavenges the bodies of dead insects caught in spider webs, then stitches them into its silk case as camouflage. Scientists have started calling it the “bone collector,” and it might be the most metal thing ever to emerge from a leaf in Hawaii.

The caterpillar doesn’t even eat the insects on its body—it just wears them. Think of it as building armor out of leftovers to blend into spider territory and avoid becoming lunch.

And it works. According to entomologists, the camouflage is so effective that spiders will ignore these caterpillars entirely, allowing them to live in some of the most predator-rich environments imaginable.

That brought to mind a place known for a species-in one of Hawaii’s strangest and most biologically rich settings—Makauwahi Cave Reserve on Kauai. Though still closed to the public for now, the cave has long housed a fast-acting, cave-dwelling spider. The setting and circumstances may differ, but the survival story is just as weird—and just as Hawaiian.

Most visitors may never see any of it. But these rare encounters between predator and prey, insect and spider, highlight how much of Hawaii’s wild world remains out of sight and under threat.

What this means for Hawaii travelers.

No, you won’t see one of these caterpillars on your next Diamond Head hike. But discoveries like this speak to something many visitors overlook: Hawaii is to this day a living laboratory of evolutionary wonder. More than 90% of the state’s native species are endemic. You won’t find them in California. You won’t find them in Tahiti. You won’t even find most of them on another Hawaiian island.

If you’ve ever stepped onto the Manoa Falls trail or explored the Makiki Valley Loop, you’ve already walked through some of the most biologically unique terrain on Earth. While this new caterpillar likely lives in higher, more remote terrain than most travelers ever reach, its story adds new meaning to the forest walks people take every day.

The more we learn about Hawaii’s species, the more there is to protect—and the more reason residents and travelers alike have to tread lightly and stay curious. It’s about more than scenery.

A reminder of what makes Hawaii strange—in the best possible way.

This isn’t the first time Hawaii’s native insects have turned heads. From caterpillars that lunge at prey with lightning speed to bees with faces painted like Batman masks, the islands are home to organisms that challenge what we think nature should look like. Scientists have found hundreds of species within the Hyposmocoma genus alone, and each one seems stranger than the prior.

One lives underwater. One builds a spiral shell like a tiny unicorn. Another spins silk strong enough to hang upside down while feeding. They aren’t flashy or easy to spot—but they’re all real. And they exist only here in Hawaii.

That makes stories like this not just scientific curiosities, but reminders of how much of Hawaii remains wild—and how little most people know about it. It also creates a moment of reflection: is Hawaii travel still about discovery, or just familiar comforts?

We don’t need to see it to care.

You’ll likely never see the “bone collector” in person. Even scientists who study it barely can. But that doesn’t make it irrelevant to travelers.

Its discovery comes at a time when Honolulu and the state at large are rethinking tourism’s future—how to welcome visitors while preserving the resources that make Hawaii special. While the caterpillar may not play a direct role in that conversation, it’s a striking symbol of what’s at stake.

Protecting Hawaii’s biodiversity is certainly not why most people buy their tickets or plan vacations here. But it is nonetheless an unforgettable part of the story they take home.

The real Hawaii isn’t always Instagrammable.

There’s nothing glamorous about a camouflaged insect hiding in a spider web wearing corpses like a coat. But there’s something deeply Hawaiian about it—stealth, survival, adaptation, and reverence for the natural world. That’s what continues to draw people back, even if they don’t realize it.

Visitors seeking only picture-perfect beaches and curated luaus may never grasp how alive and unusual these islands really are. But for those willing to see Hawaii in different ways, not just as a destination, but as a place with its own unique realities and rhythms, these stories still matter.