Caterpillar insect

The southern flannel moth caterpillar hides a series of venomous spines under it soft hairs. Image: M. Merchant Most stinging caterpillars belong to the insect family known as flannel moths. Flannel moths get their name from the flannel-like appearance of the wings of the adult, which are clothed with loose scales mixed with long hairs. The immature stages of flannel moths are caterpillars which are clothed with fine hairs and venomous spines. The spines, when brushed against the skin, produce a painful rash or sting. The best known flannel moth and stinging caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth, or puss moth caterpillar, Megalopyge opercularis. In Texas these caterpillars are commonly known as “asps”. This caterpillar is often abundant and may infest shade trees and shrubbery around homes, schools, and in parks. They are of minor importance as enemies of shade trees, but Identification Southern flannel moth caterpillars are teardrop-shaped, and, with their long, silky hairs, resemble a tuft of cotton or fur. Their color varies from yellow or gray to reddish-brown, or a mixture of colors. The mature larva is 1 to 1 1/2 inches long with seven pairs of prolegs (suction-cup like claspers, on the rear half of the body). The Biology Adult moth of the Southern flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis, Photo by Laura Bellmore. Adult puss moths emerge in late spring or early summer to lay several hundred eggs on favored host trees, such as oaks, pecan, elm, hackberry and o...

If you enjoy learning about or observing the various insect larvae found in the wild, some of the various types of red caterpillars may have captivated your attention. These insects come in various shapes and sizes, but their red colors are typically less prominent and paired with other color bases like black or green. Let’s learn some more about red caterpillars, and look at a few pictures! 11 Types of red caterpillars Though this color is seen in a variety of caterpillar species worldwide, it is also found in many species in North America. This list will give you a list of 11 red caterpillars you might encounter in your area, especially if you reside in North America. 1. Banded Sphinx Banded sphinx caterpillar on a leaf | image by Andy Reago & Chrissy McCl via Scientific Name: Eumorpha fasciatus The banded sphinx has one of the most beautiful red larvae you will ever see. It stands out in any habitat thanks to its bright red color, long black and white stripes, and distinctive pattern on its light green body. This caterpillar is native to North America and can be found in tropical lowlands and along the coast. It feeds on a variety of plants, including magnolias, Virginia creepers, and evening primroses. The species has four stages in its life cycle, as do all caterpillars: egg, larva, pupa, and adult moth. Banded sphinx caterpillar is also known to emit a 2. European Gypsy Moth European gypsy moth crawling | image by Judy Gallagher via Scientific Name: Lymantria dispar ...

Caterpillars are some of the most bizarre-looking creatures on earth, famous for their remarkable transformation into butterflies or moths. But what is your knowledge about these amazing creatures and the caterpillar life cycle? Exploring the developmental stages of the caterpillar life cycle is one of the ways to understand more about our amazing nature. Caterpillars are a type of butterfly or moth larva that looks like worms and is frequently vividly colored, hairy, and warm-looking. However, without knowing the species, it is incredibly difficult to predict whether a caterpillar will become a moth or a butterfly in the future. In this article, we will go into greater detail regarding the caterpillar life cycle, development, and metamorphosis. Contents • 1 4 Stages of Caterpillar Life Cycle • 2 The Caterpillar Life Cycle Summary • 3 What Does The Caterpillar Look Like? • 4 Generalists or Specialists? • 5 What Eats Caterpillars? • 6 Interesting Facts • 7 Final Words 4 Stages of Caterpillar Life Cycle The metamorphosis process is how the butterfly and moth grow. The Greek term “ metamorphosis” translates as a transformation or physical change. There are four phases in the entire metamorphosis process for butterflies and moths: the egg, the larva, also referred to as a caterpillar, the pupa, and the adult stages. • Egg Stage The egg stage is the first stage where the caterpillar life cycle starts. On plants, the mature female butterfly lays her eggs. Inside these tiny eggs,...

There are about 180,000 different types of caterpillars. Caterpillars are a kind of animal called an insect. Insects have three body parts and two antennae on their heads. The three body parts are called the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The head is just like a head on any other animal. It's where caterpillars' eyes and antennae are. The thorax is the middle part of the body between the head and the abdomen. The abdomen is the tail end of the body with the belly and digestive system. Caterpillars can be lots of different colors and are usually the same color as their habitat, or home. They try to blend in so they do not get eaten. They especially have to watch out for wasps and birds, two kinds of animals that really like to eat caterpillars. Most caterpillars are herbivores. This means that they only eat plants, including the leaves and the fruit. A few caterpillars do eat animals like insect eggs. Caterpillars eat a lot of food really quickly. If you've ever read the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, you know how much they eat! They need this energy to turn into moths or butterflies. Caterpillars are insects, which means they have three body parts ( head, thorax, and abdomen) and two antennae on their heads. Most caterpillars are herbivores, which means they eat plants. Caterpillars eat constantly so that they can grow. Caterpillars grow up and change into butterflies and moths. The caterpillar stage of the life cycle is called the larva stage. As caterpillars grow...

Caterpillars of the oak processionary moth are becoming more common as rising temperatures help them to spread to new areas. New rules have been introduced to combat an invasive moth that's damaging the UK's oak trees. The oak processionary moth was accidentally introduced to London in imported oak trees in around 2006, and has since spread around the southeast. As well as being a pest of oaks, its caterpillars can cause irritation and, in serious cases, allergic reactions for people and animals. With the A buffer zone set up across the heart of England Professor Nicola Spence, the UK's Chief Plant Health Officer, says, "Healthy oak trees are a vital component of a biodiverse and thriving environmental landscape. They are Great Britain's most important tree for species biodiversity, supporting over 2000 species of bird, fungi, mammal, invertebrate, bryophyte and lichen." "This is why it is essential that to protect the health of our oak trees, we have regulations in place for the movement of large oak trees within the zones and boundaries designed to manage oak processionary moth." What is the oak processionary moth? The oak processionary moth, Thaumetopoea processionea, is a small brown moth native to southern Europe. The adults are short-lived grayish-brown insects which don't feed, and are hard to come by in the wild. Most concerns, however, focus on their distinctive black and white hairy caterpillars, whose behavior gives the species their name. They move in groups, f...

Caterpillars Increase Their Body Mass by as Much as 1,000 Times or More The larval stage of the life cycle is all about growth. Within the span of a few weeks, the caterpillar will grow exponentially. Because its cuticle, or skin, is only so pliable, the caterpillar will molt multiple times as it gains size and mass. The stage between molts is called an instar, and most caterpillars go through 5 to 6 instars before pupating. No wonder caterpillars consume so much food! A Caterpillar Has as Many as 4,000 Muscles in Its Body That's one seriously muscle-bound insect! By comparison, humans have just 650 muscles in a considerably larger body. The caterpillar's head capsule alone consists of 248 individual muscles. About 70 muscles control each body segment. Remarkably, each of the 4,000 muscles is innervated by one or two Caterpillars Have 12 Eyes On each side of its head, a caterpillar has 6 tiny eyelets, called stemmata, arranged in a semi-circle. One of the 6 eyelets is usually offset a bit and located closer to the antennae. You would think an insect with 12 eyes would have excellent eyesight, but that's not the case. The stemmata serve merely to help the caterpillar differentiate between light and dark. If you watch a caterpillar, you'll notice it sometimes moves its head from side to side. This most likely helps it judge depth and distance as it navigates somewhat blindly. Caterpillars Move in a Wavelike Motion, From Back to Front Caterpillars with a full complement of p...