More caterpillars - good and different. Caterpillars: common, unusual, beautiful and poisonous species, names, body structure, development, transformation into a butterfly, description, photo

A caterpillar is a larva of insects from the order Lepidoptera, or butterflies.

Sizes range from a few millimeters (for a number of moths) to 12 centimeters. The body consists of a head, three thoracic and ten abdominal segments. The head has powerfully sclerotized integuments, the rest of the body is soft, without large sclerites.

The body has developed setae, arranged in a strictly defined manner, specific to individual families, genera and even species. In addition to these primary setae, in older instars, many open-living forms develop a dense cover of secondary setae (the most powerful in caterpillars from the bear family).

Caterpillars are characterized by a pair of silk-secreting glands that open on the lower lip, secretions from which, when in contact with air, form a silk thread used to build a cocoon, make a protective web, fasten leaves, etc.

The caterpillar feeds intensively, storing nutrients for subsequent development, grows, and after a series of molts (there are usually 4 or 5 intermolt periods - instars) turns into a pupa.

Similar to caterpillars are pseudo-caterpillars - the larvae of sawflies (a group of families from the order Hymenoptera). Unlike caterpillars, sawfly pseudocaterpillars have abdominal legs developed on abdominal segments II–X.

Structure

1. head

2. chest

3. abdomen

4. body segment

5. horn

6. abdominal (false) legs

7. spiracle (stigma)

8. pectoral (true) legs

9. mandibles

Head

The head is formed by a dense capsule fused from six segments. Often, areas of the head are conventionally identified, occupying a relatively small area between the forehead and eyes, called the cheeks. On the underside of the head is the foramen magnum, which in most cases is heart-shaped.

Based on the position of the head relative to the body, it is customary to distinguish the following types:

orthognathic - the longitudinal axis of the head is located more or less perpendicular to the axis of the body, the mouthparts are directed downward. This type is characteristic of almost all large caterpillars that live openly on plants (club lepidoptera, hawk moths, corydalis, cocoon moths, bear moths and others).

prognathic - the longitudinal axis of the head coincides with the axis of the body, the oral organs are directed forward. This type of head arose as an adaptation to a mining lifestyle. It is characteristic of Eriocraniidae, Stigmellidae, Phyllocnistidae and a number of other families. The head of this type is strongly flattened and is distinguished by the absence of a parietal suture. The overall shape of the head is usually heart-shaped.

semiprognathic - occupies an intermediate position between the first two types, characteristic of secretive caterpillars.

Caterpillar jaws

The typical head shape is round. Sometimes it can undergo changes - acquire a triangular (many hawk moths), rectangular (Catocala) or heart-shaped shape. Front surface at the same time it becomes flat or even depressed. The parietal apices can protrude significantly above the surface of the body, sometimes turning into large horns or outgrowths (Apatura, Charaxes).

The eyes are represented by separate ocelli located on the sides of the head. They lie close to the oral organs and in most cases are located in the form of an arched row of five simple ocelli and one standing inside this arch. In some cases, their primitiveness or, conversely, specialization is observed. Thus, the eyes of the New Zealand caterpillar Sabatinca consist of five simple ocelli merged into a compound eye.

The antennae are short and three-segmented. They are located on the sides of the head, between the eyes and upper jaws in the so-called antennal cavity. In some cases, the antennae undergo reduction - the number of segments decreases.

The upper jaws, or mandibles, are always well developed and represent highly sclerotized, strong formations that vary significantly in shape. Gnawing type.

The apical edge of the mandibles usually bears teeth used for biting or cutting food. On the inner edge there are sometimes tubercles used for chewing food. Mandibles (maxillae) and underlip(labium) are fused, like in many other insects with complete transformation, into a single labio-maxillary complex. Salivary glands modified into silk separators.

Spinning machine

The spinning apparatus consists of the spinning papilla and the sclerite that carries it. The spinal papilla is a tube, the upper wall of which is usually shorter than the lower one, the end edge of which is uneven. The edges of the papilla are sometimes framed with fringe. The silk duct passing through the papilla opens at its distal end. In very rare cases, such as in Microplerygidae and some miners, the spinneret papilla appears to be absent.

The papilla is extremely variable in shape and length among representatives of different groups. There is a close connection between the structure of the spinning papilla and the silk-secreting activity of caterpillars. Twisting caterpillars, such as the Hepialidae and most Microfrenata, have a long, thin and cylindrical spinating papilla. On the contrary, a short and flattened papilla is found only in caterpillars that do not weave cocoons or whose silk-secreting activity is limited, for example, in hawk moths, many cutworms and miners.

Chest and abdomen

Swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio machaon). The full set of thoracic (three pairs) and ventral (five pairs) legs are clearly visible.

The body of the caterpillar, possessing extreme mobility, is enclosed in a soft membranous cover. The sclerotized areas are the tergites of the prothorax and the 10th abdominal segment. Each caterpillar segment can be divided into a number of secondary rings, separated by grooves, which are in no way different in appearance from the actual boundaries of the segments.

The pronotum (prothoracic shield) very rarely occupies the entire tergite, and in most caterpillars a small sclerite is separated from it, located in front of the spiracle (stigma), called the prestigmal shield, on which setae IV, V and VI sit. The meso- and metanotum are never completely sclerotized, and their lateral sections are always divided into several separate sclerites. The tergites of the abdominal segments are always divided into several sclerites associated with the primary setae and usually corresponding to their number.

The anus on the last segment is surrounded by 4 lobes. Not all of these lobes can be well developed at the same time. The upper one, the supranal lobe, hangs over the anus. The lower, sub-anal lobe is often presented in the form of a thick conical fleshy lobe; a pair of lateral or anal lobes - paraprocts - are usually well developed in moths and crested moths in the form of rather large outgrowths with setae at the end.

Almost all caterpillars belong to the group with one closed stigma (spiracle) on the chest. The exception is certain species leading an aquatic lifestyle. Their stigmata are closed and are replaced by tracheal gills.

The chest bears only one open, functioning stigma. The second reduced spiracle is located between the mesothorax and metathorax. The thoracic spiracles are usually larger than the abdominal ones. The abdomen on segments 1–8 bears eight pairs of stigmas located below the thoracic stigma and more or less in the middle of the segment or somewhat closer to its anterior edge. The stigma of the 8th segment is located above the other abdominal segments and is larger than them, while the stigma of the 1st segment, on the contrary, lies somewhat lower than the others. The shape of stigmas can be round or oval.

Limbs

A caterpillar hanging on a silk silk. Three pairs of thoracic and five pairs of abdominal legs are clearly visible.

Most caterpillars have three pairs of thoracic legs (one pair on each of the thorax segments) and five pairs of false abdominal legs on the III-VI and X abdominal segments. The abdominal legs bear small hooks, located differently in different groups of Lepidoptera - in the form of a circle, longitudinal or transverse rows. The leg consists of five segments: coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus.

The thoracic legs of caterpillars are to some extent reduced in comparison with truly walking legs, and the function of locomotion is carried out mainly by the abdominal legs. At the end of the chest paw there is a claw motionlessly articulated with it, which can have different lengths and shape. The final part of the ventral leg is the sole, which can retract and protrude and bears claws at its distal end.

There are two types of sole structure:

its distal edge has a more or less rounded outline with hooks located in a ring along the periphery, the retractor muscle is attached in the center of the sole;

the outer part of the sole turns out to be reduced, and the hooks are located only along it inner edge, the muscles are attached at the outer edge of the sole; in this case, the outer edge of the sole, opposite the edge bearing the hooks, is sometimes quite strongly sclerotized.

Moth caterpillar (Geometridae) in motion. It is clearly visible that there are only two pairs of abdominal legs.

In different groups of butterflies, deviations from the described variant of the arrangement of the legs are described. The most famous are moth caterpillars, most of which have only two pairs of abdominal legs (on segments VI and X). As a result, moth caterpillars move as if “walking.”

The Russian name, like the German (German: Spannern), comes from the similarity of the caterpillar’s ​​movement with the movements of the hand of a person measuring the length with a span. Latin name the family of moths - Geometridae (from the Latinized Greek "land surveyor") was also given to them in connection with this feature. It is less known that the abdominal legs can be reduced on abdominal segments III and IV in the caterpillars of some cutworms (Noctuidae).

Some caterpillars have been described to have more than five pairs of abdominal legs. Toothed moths (Micropterigidae) have eight pairs, megalopygidae have seven (from II to VII and on segment X), and one of the genera of dwarf miner moths (Stigmella from the family Nepticulidae) has six pairs (from II to VII segments).

In addition, the legs (both abdominal and thoracic) can be completely reduced in small leaf miners.

Body coverings and their appendages

The body of a caterpillar is almost never completely naked; it is covered with various formations, which can be divided into cuticular outgrowths, hairs and body outgrowths.

Cuticular outgrowths are sculptural elements and small outgrowths of the cuticle: spines, granules, stellate formations, which may have the appearance of small hairs - chaetoids.

Hairs, bristles and their derivatives differ from sculptural elements in their articulation with the cuticle and development due to special cells of the hypodermis. The base of the hair is surrounded by an annular ridge, or the hair is located in a recess. Conventionally, hairs are divided into hairs themselves and bristles, the latter being stronger. The hairs are very different in shape. In most cases, they are presented as thread-like or bristle-like formations.

Body skin outgrowths are formations consisting of skin protrusions and having a cavity inside that communicates with the body cavity. These include tubercles - various formations associated with primary setae. A wart is a protrusion covered with a tuft of bristles or hairs; warts are spherical or, conversely, flattened and oval, often very large, for example, in Lymantriidae. The characteristic outgrowths are represented by spines.

In rare cases, aquatic caterpillars develop tracheal gills on their bodies. They are usually present on all body segments (except for the prothorax and the 10th abdominal segment) in the form of bundles of delicate filaments with trachea entering into them. Stigmas in these cases are closed.

The soft cuticle of caterpillars is folded and does not fit tightly to the body, so they can grow between moults, but only until the cuticle folds stretch and the caterpillar’s ​​body fills the entire volume of the exoskeleton.

Physiology

Nutrition

Most caterpillars are phytophagous - they feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. Some species feed on lichens or fungi. A number of species - keratophages - feed on wax, wool, horny substances (caterpillars of moths of the genus Ceratophaga live in horns African antelope, eating keratin). A few species are xylophagous - glass beetles and wood borers.

Caterpillars of some species are predators, feeding on aphids, scale insects, larvae and pupae of ants. Caterpillars of some species are characterized by oligophagy - feeding on a very limited number of plant species. For example, polyxena caterpillars feed on only four species of plants of the genus Kirkazon, and silkworm caterpillars feed exclusively on mulberry leaves. In addition, the caterpillar eats the shell of its egg immediately after hatching, and then other eggs that it comes across.

The digestive tract is connected to the rest of the body only at the anterior and posterior ends, due to which, probably, the movement of the rest of the body does not interfere with the caterpillars digesting food.

In the digestive tract of caterpillars, there are three main groups of digestive enzymes - proteases, carbohydrases and lipases.

Lifestyle

Most caterpillars lead a terrestrial lifestyle, but the caterpillars of a number of species of the broad-winged moth family (Pyraustidae) live under water, and in the underwater moth Acentria ephemerella, adult wingless females also live under water. Several species of Hawaiian moth caterpillars of the genus Hyposmocoma are amphibians and are able to live both underwater and on land. According to their lifestyle, caterpillars are conventionally divided into two large groups:

caterpillars leading a free lifestyle, openly feeding on food plants;

caterpillars leading a hidden lifestyle.

Caterpillars of day, or club-whiskered, butterflies, as well as most other
large lepidopterans live openly on food plants. Caterpillars of many families of moth-like lepidoptera lead a secretive lifestyle: in the soil, litter or turf of cereals (often in silk tunnels); inside food plants, mining leaves, shoots and fruits; making various covers that the caterpillar, crawling, drags behind itself (bagworms (Psychidae) are best known for this, but wearing covers is much more widespread). Caterpillars of very few species live in water, feeding on aquatic plants.

All caterpillars are able to secrete silk. Most use it to attach to the substrate when moving. A caterpillar crawling along a plant or soil constantly leaves behind a thin silken path. If she falls from the branch, she will remain hanging on a silk thread. Caterpillars of some families of moths and moths build tunnels (silk tunnels) from silk.

Anyone who has seen the damage caused by the caterpillars of real moths to fur or wool products has noticed silken passages in the undercoat or on the surface of knitted items. Bag makers and some others use silk thread as the basis for making a portable case. Caterpillars of ermine moths and some corydalis build mulberry nests on food plants. In some families, for example, cocoon moths, peacock moths and true silkworms, the caterpillar builds a silk cocoon before molting onto a pupa.

Ecology

Migrations

The migratory behavior of caterpillars is observed much less frequently than butterflies, and occurs when the numbers are very high, there is a lack of food, etc. Caterpillars of a number of species, for example cabbageweeds, are capable of long migrations in search of food, populating neighboring areas. Caterpillar migrations younger age contribute to the survival of a certain part of the population even in conditions negative impact abiotic and biotic factors.

The most famous, prone to migration, are the caterpillars of traveling silkworms (Thaumetopoeidae), which have the instinct to migrate to new feeding places, gathering in societies in the form of long columns or processions, which is why they got their name.

Relationships with other organisms

The latter is typical for species that specialize in hidden hosts, which are forced to find and retrieve caterpillars with the help of their long ovipositor, for example, under the bark of trees. Long-term or irreversible paralysis occurs, as a rule, from an excess amount of toxin introduced into the body of the owner by the rider.

Symbionts

In a number of species, caterpillars live in anthills, being in a symbiotic relationship with ants, for example, with the genus Myrmica.

The caterpillars of approximately half of all species of bluebirds (Lycaenidae) are in one way or another connected in their development cycle with ants.

They also secrete a sweet liquid from the dorsal nectar-bearing gland that attracts ants. Ants, feeling this organ with their antennae, cause the caterpillar to reflexively secrete fluid, which probably contains pheromones (lychneumonas), which determine the behavior of the ants.

Some caterpillars of bluebirds and riodinids also have sound-producing organs that influence the behavior of ants - some species have only spherical bristles on the caterpillar body, others - together with a sound cilium, in the absence of a nectar-bearing gland.

All species of myrmecophilous bluebirds are confined to meadow anthills. One such species is the alcon blueberry (Maculinea alcon), the females of which lay eggs on the flowers of plants of the Gentiana family. Most blueberry species develop in the nests of only one type of ant, but Alcon blueberry caterpillars live in ant nests various types, in different parts of its range.

Caterpillars of the Phyllonorycter blancardella species live in symbiosis with bacteria that secrete cytokines; these hormones stimulate plant cell division, prolonging photosynthesis, and the resulting “green islands” allow the insect to survive the winter.

Economic significance

The species whose caterpillars produce silk are primarily useful to humans. In nature, silk is produced by the caterpillars of many butterflies, constructing cocoons from it. The textile industry prefers the mulberry, or mulberry, silkworm (Bombyx mori), domesticated by humans.

Also used in sericulture are the Chinese oak peacock eye (Antheraea pernyi), which has been bred in China for more than 250 years. Silk is obtained from its cocoons, which is used to make chesuchi. Other types of silkworms do not develop well in captivity, so they are limited to collecting their cocoons in nature. The silkworm plays an important role economic role in silk production.

To obtain silk thread, the pupae are first killed using hot steam and water on the tenth day after pupation. A silk cocoon usually contains up to 3,500 meters of fiber, but it can be unwound by barely a third. To get 1 kilogram of raw silk, you need cocoons of about a thousand caterpillars, which eat 60 kilograms of mulberry leaves in a month and a half.

From 100 kg of cocoons you can get approximately 9 kg of silk thread. Today, 45,000 tons of silk are produced annually worldwide. The main suppliers are Japan, the Republic of Korea and China.

In India, Saturnia Attacus atlas is bred, the caterpillars of which secrete silk different from that of the silkworm - it has brown, stronger and woolier - and is called fagara silk.

Entomophagy - eating insects - is widespread among people all over the world, except in Europe, Russia and some other countries. Caterpillars of several species are used as protein-rich foods. IN South Africa Fried or smoked caterpillars of the species Gonimbrasia belina, which cost 4 times more than regular meat, are considered a delicacy.

Dried silkworm caterpillars infected with the fungus Beauveria bassiana are used in Chinese folk medicine.

Caterpillars of some species can be used in the fight against weeds. The most striking example is the one specially brought to Australia in 1925 from Uruguay and from northern regions In Argentina, the cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) helped get rid of the introduced prickly pear cactus, which had overgrown millions of hectares of pastures. In 1938, in the Darling River valley, Australian farmers erected a special monument to the caterpillars that saved Australia.

Caterpillar Sibine stimulea (eucleid butterfly). Charming, but, like most beauties, very insidious. She stings with her hairs. For humans, its poison is not fatal, but much more unpleasant than the sting of bees or wasps. The pain is unbearable, to the point of loss of consciousness.

Once in my childhood at my grandmother's in the village I saw unusual caterpillar- large, bright green with orange horns. I don’t know what kind of butterfly it turned out to be, but the caterpillar was very beautiful. By the way, most beautiful caterpillars have rather plain-looking butterflies...

Among the caterpillars there are simply stunningly beautiful specimens, but the bright coloring most often indicates that these creatures are poisonous. This provides them with reliable protection from enemies, but people are curious and strive to hold these cuties in their hands. For example, a caterpillar eucleid butterflies (Sibine stimulea) looks funny: she seems to be wearing a green vest with a hole in the back. At both ends of the larva's body there are a pair of horn-like processes. On these processes there are many stinging hairs, touching which the offender will immediately be struck by poison. The sensations after contact with the eucleid caterpillar are very painful: the affected area swells, a rash and nausea appear. A person can remain in this state for several days. living in Northern and South America.

2. Sibine stimulation

Butterfly caterpillar dipper bear It resembles a zebra in color, only it is painted with black and orange stripes. These cute creatures have a truly brutal appetite, and they feed on plants of the ragus genus, most of which are poisonous. This species of butterfly was even specially distributed in New Zealand, Australia and North America in order to reduce the number of ragworts growing in the area. Actually, thanks to this diet, caterpillars become poisonous

3. Ursa rosa

Newly hatched butterfly larva monarch so small that after hatching it can hardly be seen. True, it grows very quickly, feeding exclusively on plants of the genus cottonweed, the milky juice of which is poisonous. Thanks to this, the larvae also become poisonous and inedible for predators. Very soon the monarch danaid caterpillar reaches 5 centimeters in length, and their striped black, white and yellow coloring can already be clearly seen. By the way, the monarch is considered one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. One of the most famous butterflies in North America, in the 19th century representatives of this species were found in New Zealand and Australia. In Europe, they are common in the Canary Islands and Madeira; during migrations they are noted in Russia, on Azores, in Sweden and Spain, found in northern Africa.

4. Monarch.

Caterpillar gypsy moth has on its body, covered with an unimaginable number of hairs, five pairs of red and six pairs of blue spots. The hairs serve mainly for propagation - thanks to them, the larvae are easily picked up and carried by the wind.

However, if the hairs are touched, pain and skin irritation will occur. The gypsy moth is a real scourge of forest lands; maples, elms and oaks are especially often affected by the caterpillars. The gypsy moth is distributed throughout almost all of Europe, in North Africa, temperate latitudes of Asia and North America, southern regions of Central Asia.

5. Gypsy moth.

Butterfly caterpillar Parasa indetermina The family of tearworms does not exceed 1 inch in length, and is colored with longitudinal stripes of orange, yellow and brown, and a wide purple stripe runs down the back. On the body of the caterpillar there are five pairs of massive processes similar to horns, which are dotted with small hairs with black tips. Touching the larva causes a very unpleasant sensation, as the poisonous tips dig into the skin, causing a rash and itching. The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of dogwood, maple, oak, cherry, apple, poplar and hickory and lives in North and South America.

6. Parasa indetermina

Lophocampa caryae - black and white caterpillar, whose body is covered with many grayish-white hairs. However, these hairs do not pose any danger, since the larva’s weapon is two pairs of black spines located in the front and back of the body, each of which is connected to a poisonous gland. Upon contact with thorns, irritation and rash appear on human skin. These caterpillars are common in southern Canada and the northern regions of the United States and are found between June and September. The larvae live for approximately 8 weeks, feeding on hickory and walnut leaves.

7. Lophocampa caryae

Automeris.io- Very beautiful butterfly family of peacock eyes, native to North America. Its caterpillar starts life orange, but as it ages it changes to bright green with two stripes of red and white on the sides of its body.

The entire surface of the larva's body is dotted with tufts of hairs, upon touching which the offender will be affected by two types of poison at once, causing severe pain, burning, and inflammation. This caterpillar feeds on the leaves of willow, maple, oak, elm, aspen, cherry and pear, and is found between February and September.

8.Automeris.io

Another representative of the slug family - Euclea delphinii. Its body, flattened at the top, is no more than one inch in length, and is colored mostly green, with two longitudinal orange-red stripes. Like other slugs, this caterpillar's weapon is poisonous spine-like hairs on the back of its body. Upon contact, they dig into the skin, and without medical assistance the person will feel ill. The species lives in the United States, feeding on the leaves of ash, oak, chestnut and some other trees.

9. Euclea delphinii

A few more caterpillars and their butterflies:

Butterflies from the squad blueberries quite often found in Russia, including Siberia. These butterflies are quite small, but so cute, and the caterpillars are quite ordinary.

10. Cupido arjades

11. Lucaena dispar

Peacock eye- a butterfly that can also often be found in our area. It's a beautiful butterfly, and its caterpillar is also quite interesting.

12. Peacock eye.

Swallowtail considered one of the most beautiful butterflies in Europe ( perhaps I saw a similar caterpillar in childhood). In total, there are 550 species of this beautiful family in the world fauna, inhabiting the temperate zone of Asia, northern Africa, North America, throughout Europe (absent only in Ireland, and in England it lives only in the county of Norfolk). The swallowtail was once one of the most common butterflies in Europe, but is now a rare, declining species and is listed in the Red Book. The decline in the number of this beautiful butterfly is associated, first of all, with the change or complete destruction of its habitats through the use of pesticides and other toxic substances, as well as due to trapping.

13. Swallowtail sailboat

Ursa Caja (Arctia caja) distributed throughout Europe, as well as in Siberia, the Far East, Central and Asia Minor, China, Korea and Japan, and North America. Lives in gardens, wastelands and other open places.

14. Arctia caja

The silver hole (Phalera bucephala) is found in all countries of central and eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the European part of Russia and Turkey.

15. Phalera bucephala

Small peacock eye, or Night Peacock's Eye (Saturnia pavonia). The wingspan of these butterflies is 50 - 70 mm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced: in females the background of the hind wings is gray, and in the male it is orange. The butterfly is distributed throughout most of Europe, Asia Minor, throughout forest zone Eurasia to Japan, in the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in Siberia, in the Far East. Inhabits heather heaths, as well as mountain, rocky steppes and deciduous forests.

16. Saturnia pavonia

Heliconid Julia (Dryas Julia) has a bright orange wing color; when at rest, it folds them and becomes like a dry leaf. Distributed in Central and South America. Found all year round, sometimes in large numbers.

17. Dryas Julia

Peacock-eye Atlas (Attacus atlas)- a butterfly from the Peacock-eye family is considered one of the largest butterflies in the world; wingspan up to 26 cm, females are noticeably larger than males. Found in tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, Southern China and from Thailand to Indonesia, Borneo, Java.

18.Attacs atlas.

Butterfly Heliconius melpomene belongs to the Heliconidae family; distributed over a vast area from Mexico to Brazil. Lives in wet forests, flies through copses, but avoids sunny places.

19. Heliconius melpomene

Junonia orithya (Nymphalida orithya); Its habitat is Africa, South and Southeast Asia, India, Australia.

20. Jinonia orithya

And a few more caterpillars...

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Stinging caterpillars adopt a general defensive strategy to protect themselves from predators. All species have setae, which are prickly spines or hairs. Each hollow bristle releases poison from a special glandular cell. The spines pierce your finger, then break away from the caterpillar's body and release toxins into your skin.

What happens if you touch a stinging caterpillar?

It will be very painful! The reaction depends on the type of track, the severity of the contact and its own immune system person. You will feel some burning and itching, and you may develop a rash or even some nasty pustules or lesions. In some cases, the bite area becomes swollen or numb, or the person experiences nausea and vomiting.

This article provides some great "safe" photos to look at so you know what they look like.

Although the bright green "saddle" entices you to take a closer look at the caterpillar, don't be tempted to pick it up. The saddle spikes protrude in almost any direction. The caterpillar will curl its back to embed as many spines as possible into your skin. Young caterpillars feed together in a group, but as they get larger they begin to disperse.

This species lives in America - in fields, forests and gardens from Texas to Florida, as well as in the north to Missouri and Massachusetts. It can be seen on almost all herbs, bushes, trees and even garden crops.

This is a truly beautiful caterpillar. The crowned queen shows off her spikes like the feathered headdress of a Vegas showgirl. Stinging bristles cross the perimeter of the crowned bullet, decorating its flattened green body. Later instars may also be covered in bright red or yellow spots along the larva's back.

This caterpillar lives in forests from Florida to Mississippi, as far north as Minnesota, southern Ontario and Massachusetts. It can be seen on oaks, elms, hickories, maples and several other woody plants. It feeds primarily on oak leaves, as well as elm, hickory, maple and several other woody plants.

3. Caterpillar Io Saturnia

This caterpillar with many branched spines full of poison is always ready for battle. The eggs are laid in clusters, so the earliest larvae will be visible in bunches. They begin larval life colored dark brown and gradually molt from brown to orange until they finally turn that poisonous green color.

This species lives in fields and forests from Southern Canada to Florida and Texas. Quite often it can be seen on willow, aspen, cherry, elm, hackberry, poplar and other trees. Also lives on clover, grasses and other herbaceous plants.

4. Monkey slug caterpillar

The bloodworm caterpillar is sometimes called the "monkey slug." The name seems quite appropriate when you see what she looks like. Frankly, it's hard to believe it's even a larva. The caterpillar can be identified instantly thanks to its furry "hands" that sometimes fall off. But be careful: this adorable creature is actually covered in tiny, stinging bristles.

This species lives in the fields and forests of Florida and Arkansas, as well as as far north as Quebec and Maine. Can be seen on apple, cherry, persimmon, walnut, chestnut, hickory, oak, willow, birch and other woody shrubs.

5. Cat caterpillar

This caterpillar looks like a fluffy cat that you want to pet, but its appearance is very deceptive. Poisonous bristles are hidden under these long light hairs. It can cause a serious skin reaction, so don't touch anything that looks like this larva. Cat caterpillars are the larvae of the southern flannel moth.

Habitat includes forests from Maryland south to Florida, and west to Texas. You can see them on the leaves of many woody plants, including apple, birch, hackberry, oak, persimmon, almond and pecan.

6. Antiope butterfly caterpillar

Although most stinging caterpillars become moths, this spiny larva will one day turn into a beautiful mourning butterfly. Spearing elm caterpillars live and feed in groups.

Habitat includes wetlands, forest edges and even city parks from North Florida to Texas. They can also be found in the north and Canada. They live on elm, birch, hackberry, willow and poplar.

7. White flannel moth caterpillar

Based on its name, the white flannel moth caterpillar cannot be associated with such softness. She's too prickly. Look closely and you will see long hairs extending from the sides. Clumps of shorter, sharper spines dot the line of the back and sides. The adult moth is white, as the name suggests, but this larva runs the gamut from black, yellow and orange.

It lives in forests from Virginia to Missouri, and south to Florida and Texas. Can be seen on elm, oak and some other woody plants.

8. Stinging Pink Caterpillar

The stinging pink caterpillar lives up to its name. Its sting contains a substance that causes burning pain. The color of the caterpillar can vary from yellow to red. Look for unique identification markings - four dark stripes along the back, with creamy patches in between.

They live in wasteland and muddy coastal areas that stretch from Illinois to New York, and south to Texas and Florida. The caterpillar prefers a variety of woody plants: dogwood, maple, oak, cherry, apple, poplar and hickory.

Nason's slugs don't have the biggest spines in the caterpillar world, but they can pack a soft punch. These small spines retract, but the Nason larva can quickly extend its poisonous spines. If you look at the caterpillar's head, you will notice that its body is trapezoidal (not noticeable in the photo).

The habitat is forests from Florida to Mississippi. This species can also be found as far north as Missouri and New York. They feed on the leaves of hornbeam, oak, chestnut, beech, hickory and some other trees.

10. Dagger caterpillar Acronicta Oblinita

Here's another one stinging caterpillar, which varies in color. Look for yellow spots along each side and note red spots on the back. The smear dagger moth caterpillar takes its name from the plant it lives on.

This species can be found on beaches, marshes and barrens stretching from Florida and Texas to southern Canada. The caterpillar feeds on broad-leaved trees herbaceous plants, as well as some woody trees and shrubs.

These black and white caterpillars use branching spines to ward off predators. David L. Wagner, author of Caterpillars of Eastern North America, notes that the bite he received from a male was noticeable for 10 days and caused hemorrhages where the spines penetrated the skin.

They live in oak forests from Florida to Louisiana, north through Missouri and all the way to Maine. Caterpillars feed on woody plants.

The spiny oak slug includes a rainbow of colors. It is usually colored green, but even if you find a pink specimen, you will be able to recognize the species due to the cluster of four darker spines at the rear end.

It lives in forests from southern Quebec to Maine, and also in the south from Missouri to Texas and Florida.

The white-headed moth caterpillar is easy to identify. Notice the red head, black back and yellow stripes on the sides and you will be able to recognize this stinging larva. Many tree borer caterpillars, including this one, are considered tree pests due to their love of feeding on woody plants.

The habitat is forests from Southern Canada to Florida and Texas. It feeds on almost any trees, both deciduous and evergreen.

Caterpillars are crawling, worm-like insect larvae. They come in completely different sizes and colors, and can be bare or covered with fluffy hairs. They have one thing in common - they all someday turn into beautiful butterflies. However, the appearance of the caterpillars can also surprise and impress. You will find a description and name of the caterpillar species in this article.

What are they?

Unlike worms, with which they are constantly compared, caterpillars are not an independent group of animals. These are insect larvae - one of the forms of development of lepidoptera, or butterflies. This stage occurs after the “egg” stage and can last from a couple of weeks to several years. Then it becomes a pupa and only then an adult.

The body of all types of caterpillars consists of a head, 3 thoracic and 10 abdominal segments. The eyes are located on the sides of the head. They have many limbs. In the area of ​​the thoracic segments there are three pairs of legs, on the belly there are about five.

Caterpillars are rarely completely naked. Their body is covered with single or very dense hairs arranged in bunches. Many species of caterpillars have raised cuticle outgrowths that form denticles, granules and spines.

From the moment the caterpillar hatches from the egg, it begins to change. Often individuals of larvae of the same species, but of different ages, differ in appearance. As they grow, they molt from two (miner caterpillar) to forty (clothes moth) times.

Butterfly larvae have a special saliva. When exposed to air, it hardens to form silk. People have not ignored this ability and have been breeding caterpillars for centuries to obtain valuable fibers. Predatory species They are also used to control pests in gardens, but herbivores can cause damage to the farm.

Types of caterpillars and butterflies

Lepidoptera insects are distributed throughout the planet, but only in places where there is flowering vegetation. They are rarely found in cold polar regions, lifeless deserts and bald highlands. There are not too many of them in temperate latitudes, but the tropics have the greatest diversity of species.

But how to determine the type of caterpillars? First of all, attention should be paid to color, size, number of legs, length of hairs and other features specific to each species. Caterpillars grow from a few millimeters to 12 centimeters in length. Their coloration is often not similar to that of the butterfly they transform into, so recognizing them requires experience and knowledge. For example, the larva of the great harpy is light green, and the adult is grayish-brown; the larvae of the yellow lemongrass are bright green.

Observing its diet will help you understand what type of caterpillar is in front of you. Many of them (cabbage, bear, swallowtail, polyxena) are phytophages and eat flowers, leaves and fruits of plants. Wood borers, castnias, and glass beetles feed exclusively on wood and grass roots. True moths and some species of bagworms consume mushrooms and lichens. Some caterpillars prefer wool, hair, horny substances, wax (carpet and clothes moths, moths), and predators, such as cutworms, bluegills, and moths, are also rare.

Caterpillars in Russia

Our region is not as rich in insects as the hot tropical zones. But even in Russia there are several hundred species of caterpillars. The common species here are fatheads, bluegills, nymphalids, whitefishes, swallowtails, riodinids and other orders.

A typical representative of whites is cabbage grass. She lives all over Eastern Europe, eastern Japan and North Africa. Butterflies of this species are white, with black wing tips and two black dots. Their caterpillars are yellow-green with black warts all over their bodies. These are well-known pests that feed on heads and leaves of cabbage, horseradish, and rutabaga.

The alkin's swallowtail lives mainly in Japan, Korea and China. In Russia, caterpillars of the species are found only in the Primorsky Territory, and then in its southern part. They live near rivers and lakes where Aristolochia grows. Butterflies lay eggs on this plant, and caterpillars then feed on its leaves. Alkinoe caterpillars are brown with white segments in the middle, the body is covered with teeth. Both the adult and larval forms of insects are poisonous, so no one is in a hurry to hunt them.

Hawkmoth is one of the most known species. Blind Hawkmoths are rare species. Their butterflies are dark brown in color, and their larvae are light green with red spiracles and white stripes on the sides. The caterpillars appear in July; on the back of their body they have a black horn at the end. They feed on the leaves of willows, poplars and birches and pupate already in August.

Poisonous species

Caterpillars often serve as food for other animals. To avoid becoming someone's food, they have many adaptations. Some species use protective or deterrent coloration, while others secrete a secretion with an unpleasant odor. Some of them used poison.

Scales, hairs and needles hidden under the skin of some caterpillars can cause lepidopterism or caterpillar dermatitis. It is manifested by inflammation, swelling, itching and redness of the contact points and can have serious consequences. The larvae of the oak, gypsy and marching silkworms, megalopygis operaculus, hickory dipper, Saturnia io, spiderwort, etc. are poisonous.

The lonomia caterpillar is considered one of the most dangerous. It is found only in South America. Poisoning with its secretion even has its own name - lonomyasis. Contact with lonomia obliqua and lonomia achelous species can result in severe internal bleeding and death. The caterpillars live on fruit trees, and their “victims” are often plantation workers.

Peacock eye atlas

These butterflies are considered one of the largest in the world. Their wingspan reaches about 25 centimeters. They are common in India, China, countries and islands South-East Asia. Their caterpillars are thick and grow up to twelve centimeters in length. Bluish-green in the early stages, they become snow-white over time. The body is covered with thick, hairy needles; small hairs on them give the impression that the caterpillars are covered with dust or snow. They secrete durable fagar silk, and their torn cocoons are sometimes used as wallets or cases.

Hawkmoth lilac

A large number of caterpillar species are green. They feed on plants, and this color helps them camouflage with their environment. The caterpillars of the privet or lilac hawkmoth are colored light green color. On their sides there are short diagonal stripes of white and black, and next to them there is one red dot.

Hawkmoth larvae are thick and reach a length of 9-10 centimeters. A white and black outgrowth resembling a horn protrudes from the back of the caterpillars' back. They live in Western Europe, China, Japan, European Russia and the south Far East, in the Caucasus, southern Siberia and Kazakhstan. They feed on jasmine, barberry, elderberry, viburnum, and currants. They become caterpillars from July to September, and then overwinter twice as pupae.

Apollo of Parnassus

Black species of caterpillars are not very common in nature. The peacock's eye, the grass cocoon moth, and Apollo Parnassus can boast of this color. The latter species is named after the Greek god of the arts, Apollo. These butterflies live in Europe and Asia, found in Southern Siberia, Chuvashia, Mordovia, Moscow region. They love dry and sunny valleys located at an altitude of 2000-3000 thousand meters.

Adult Apollo parnassian caterpillars are deep black with bright red dots and blue warts on the sides. Behind the head of the larva there is an osmetium - a gland in the form of small horns. It is usually hidden under the skin and protrudes at the moment of danger, releasing a substance with an unpleasant odor. The caterpillars feed on sedum and juveniles and appear only in good sunny weather.

Clothes or house moth

This type of caterpillar causes a lot of trouble in the house. They eat cereals, flour, silk and wool fabrics, and furniture upholstery. Adults - butterflies - are harmful only because they can lay eggs. All the main damage to things is caused by the caterpillars, which devour everything they find.

Their bodies are almost transparent and covered with thin beige-brown skin. Among caterpillars, they are considered the smallest, the size of the larvae varies from a millimeter to one centimeter. They remain in the larval stage from a month to two and a half years, during which time they manage to molt up to 40 times. Moths live in the USA, Australia, Europe, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and many other regions.

Akraga koa, or "gummy" caterpillar

The amazing caterpillars of this species look like something extraterrestrial. Their transparent silver body appears to be made of jelly. Due to this they are called “marmalade” or “crystal”. Their body is covered with cone-shaped processes, at the tips of which there are orange dots. The caterpillars reach only three centimeters in length. They are sticky to the touch, and the substances that their glands secrete are saturated with poison.

The insect lives in the Neotropics, a region covering South and part of Central America. You can meet it in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of mango trees, coffee and other plants.

Swallowtail

Swallowtail is another insect named after a mythological hero. This time it is an ancient Greek doctor. About 40 subspecies of swallowtails are known. All of them are very colorful both at the imago stage and during the development of larvae. They are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Found in North Africa, North America, throughout Europe, except Ireland. In mountainous areas they can rise to heights from 2 to 4.5 kilometers.

Swallowtail caterpillars are born twice a season: in May and August, but they remain in the larval state for only a month. As they grow older, their appearance changes greatly. At first they are black with red dots and a white spot on the back. Over time, the color becomes light green, and black stripes and red dots are placed on each segment, White color present only on the limbs. They also have a hidden osmeterium that is bright orange in color.