Caterpillars: close-up of a very clever disguise

Samuel Jaffe and his digital camera have entered an insect world where things are not what they first appear

• Caterpillars of the US north-east - in pictures

Long, pudgy and decked out with vivid yellow segments, the larvae of Schinia nundina seem a pretty brazen bunch. Yet against the blossoms of the goldenrod plant, they become masters of disguise.

Just one of a host of species that wriggle and writhe in New Hampshire, the caterpillars sport a stunning example of camouflage. Yet while such an outfit might save them from the jaws of a predator, it drew the attention of Samuel Jaffe.