Strange caterpillar or case of ectoparasitism?

My family and I were spending a little time outside this evening: my father tinkered with his homemade pizza oven (it's been out of commission for a while now) and the rest of us observed in silence. Suddenly, my father scrutinized the oven's exhaust pipe and exclaimed "Look at that caterpillar! It's has parasites on its back". At a glance, the caterpillar did appear to have three egg-like structures on its back but now I'm not sure whether they are some kind of parasite or just a part of the caterpillar. Have a look and let me know what you think!

Weird, right?

To scale, the pipe is 1.5 inches across

Slightly different viewpoint

Snowy moth (yet to identify)

The moth perches on white-board's edge

Eudocima homaena

Scientific name:  Eudocima homaena

Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia
                                             Phylum: Arthropoda
                                             Class: Insecta
                                             Order: Lepidoptera
                                             Family: Noctuidae
                                             Genus: Eudocima
                                             Species: E.homaena

Type of species: Indigenous

Habitat: Found in areas with thick vegetation. Has been found to be a pest w.r.t. orange plants.

Conservation status: Least Concern
 
Distribution: This moth is found in the Indian subregion, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Nicobar, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, the Philippines, and on Christmas Island.


Note: Many thanks to Nagabhushan Jyothi, a member of India Biodiversity Portal, who identified the species. 

Hulodes caranea

Scientific name: Hulodes caranea

Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia
                                             Phylum: Arthropoda
                                             Class: Insecta
                                             Order: Lepidoptera
                                             Super-family: Noctuoidea
                                             Family: Erebidae
                                             Tribe: Hulodini
                                             Genus: Hulodes
                                             Species: H. caranea

Type of species: Indigenous

Habitat: Thick vegetation, forested areas.

Conservation status: Least Concern
 
Distribution: It is found from India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Java, Hong Kong to Queensland and New Guinea, it is also found on the Marianas and Carolines.

Note: Thanks to Nuwan Chathuranga from Indian Biodiversity Portal for identifying the moth.

Oriental Mole Cricket

Common name: Oriental mole cricket

Scientific name: Gryllotalpa orientalis

Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia
                                             Phylum: Arthropoda
                                             Class: Insecta
                                             Order: Orthoptera
                                             Sub-order: Ensifera
                                             Family: Gryllotalpidae
                                             Genus: Gryllotalpa
                                             Species: G.orientalis

Type of species: Indigenous

Habitat: These crickets burrow in damp soil creating a network of passages. An oriental mole cricket's natural habitat includes rich soils as well as arable land and gardens.

Conservation status: Least Concern
 
Sound recording: africana sp.

Distribution: The oriental mole cricket is found in Russia, China, Japan, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, and Hawaii.

Source: wikipedia

Indian Owl Moth

Beautiful moth

A picture at an angle

The scale

Common name: Indian owl moth

Scientific name: Erebus macrops

Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia
                                             Phylum: Arthropoda
                                             Class: Insecta
                                             Order: Lepidoptera
                                             Super-family: Noctuoidea
                                             Family: Erebida
                                             Tribe: Erebini
                                             Genus: Erebus
                                             Species: E. macrops

Type of species: Indigenous

Habitat: Found where there are Acacia and Entanada species, which is what they feed on.

Conservation status: Least Concern

Distribution: Found in the sub-tropical regions of Africa and Asia

Source: wikipedia

Common Tiger

Courtesy: Shiva.T

Common name: Monarch butterfly; common tiger; wanderer; black veined brown.

Scientific name: Danaus plexippus

Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia
                                             Phylum: Arthropoda
                                             Class: Insecta
                                             Order: Lepidoptera
                                             Family: Nymphalidae
                                             Genus: Danaus
                                             Species: D. plexipus

Type of species: Indigenous

Distribution: A very wide ranging butterfly, they migrate thousands of miles. They are present in North America and the Caribbean islands.

Habitat: Monarchs require very specific conditions to thrive, given here.

Conservation status: Species of special concern

Interesting fact: Monarchs were taken to the International Space Station and bred there.

Crimson Marsh Glider (Male)

A male crimson marsh glider settled on a reed.

Common name: Crimson Marsh Glider

Scientific name: Trithemis aurora

Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia
                                         Phylum: Arthropoda
                                         Class: Insecta
                                         Order: Odonata
                                         Family: Libellulidae
                                         Genus: Trithemis
                                         Species: Auroro

Type of species: Indigenous

Distribution: Found in the biogeographic region that includes South Asia south of the Himalaya Mountains and Southeast Asia from southern China to Borneo.

Habitat: It can be sighted near small water bodies (streams, ponds, wells, etc.) and marsh areas.

Conservation status: Least concern

NOTE: The male and female crimson marsh gliders are distinctly different in appearance.

Female marsh glider:

Source: wikipedia