I don't know about caterpillar scheming Mandy, but for the Arrernte people Alice Springs (where I live) is a major caterpillar dreaming site. There are several caterpillar species which figure, but the most prominent is the yeperenye (pronounced 'yip-ir-in-ya'). As in many languages (but not, alas, English), the Arrernte word for what the yeperenye emerges from its chrysalis as, is particularly beautiful: intelyapelyape (pronounced int-el-yup-el-yup-a). The beastie itself is well worthy of its totemic status: a ferocious looking technicolour midget with a false head and horns.

They're building a ten metre long corrugated iron version as a community sculpture here at the moment: our very own caterpillar dream team scheme!