Types of caterpillars

The monkey caterpillar inhabits eastern North America from Canada to Florida, in dry ecosystems, bushes and urban parks. It feeds on smooth-leaved trees such as oaks, Amelanchier or pecan cherry trees. This is one of the types of hairy caterpillars, due to its hairy side tentacles, which resemble monkey tails. It slides through undulations on a basal disc. Unlike other caterpillars, it does not cause itching, and its small internal spines only deter potential predators. The monkey caterpillar transforms into the witch moth.

Acharia stimulea It is a limacodid caterpillar from eastern and central North America, Mexico and Central America. In early stages it is gregarious and green; In later life it exhibits brown, green and white designs and stinging spines that cause irritation and nausea, whose colors are warnings of danger. It feeds on plants from various families. This caterpillar transforms into a moth.

The hummingbird sphinx caterpillar is cylindrical and green, with two clear longitudinal lines on each side and a black posterior horn tipped with yellow when mature. Inhabits gardens and urban areas where it grows Galium spp. and wild blondeplants of which it feeds by nibbling their leaves. It measures up to 55 mm and is active between June and October, especially in August. This caterpillar transforms into the hummingbird sphinx butterfly.

The cabbage caterpillar is one of the most damaging caterpillars to crops, as it is usually found in cabbage and other cruciferous crops, such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. After hatching, the semi-transparent black-headed larvae use silky threads to attach themselves and begin to voraciously defoliate the leaves. When growing, they reach up to 50 mm, acquire a green color with yellow-green stripes and black dots. Its intense feeding respects the foliar nerves, but leaves excrement that affects the cosmetic quality of the harvest. This caterpillar transforms into the cabbage butterfly.

The pine processionary caterpillar is the main cause of defoliation in the pine forests of Spain. It feeds on trees of the Pinus, Cedrus and Abies genera, although it shows a preference for pines. Its body is covered with stinging hairs that release the Thaumatopine toxin, which can cause irritation, tissue necrosis and allergic reactions that, depending on the person or animal affected, can be very dangerous. They are gregarious, they build dense pockets to hibernate during the winter and, after feeding voraciously in their fifth instar, they descend in procession on a silk thread to then bury and pupate in the ground, completing their annual life cycle by becoming an adult moth or moth.

We encourage you to learn much more about this caterpillar by reading these BIOencyclopedia articles on the Pine Processionary caterpillar: cycle, season, where it is found and treatment and the Predators of the processionary.

In Pennsylvania and other temperate regions in the area, the gypsy moth caterpillar hatches between April and May, dispersing as it hatches from the egg and begins to feed on the foliage of host trees. At first they are active both day and night, but when they mature, around June, they migrate and hide in crevices during the day. These caterpillars reach lengths of 60 to 70 mm and feature a yellowish-gray body, bicolor head, tufts of hair, and distinctive blue and red dorsal warts.

The meadow caterpillar is a species present in Spain that is commonly found in pasture areas, margins and wastelands of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as in Italy and North Africa. It feeds on spontaneous species such as Borago officinalis, Malva sylvestris, Mercurialis annua and Erodium ciconiumand also invades beans and vines in non-tilled crops. It is covered with abundant hair with orange and whitish stripes, does not form organized processions and creates cobwebs on the grass to protect young colonies. It is harmless to humans, but harmful to crops. This caterpillar, unlike others, transforms into a butterfly.

This caterpillar is one of the types of caterpillars that are poisonous to humans. They inhabit temperate forests in North America, especially walnut, pecan, ash, elm, and oak. Its caterpillar, covered in long white bristles with black tufts, causes contact dermatitis and can irritate eyes. In initial stages it feeds by skeletonizing leaves in groups of about a hundred individuals; then, more solitary, it grows up to 4.5 cm before pupating. After its larval stage it transforms into the walnut moth.

The caterpillar of the great purple sphinx can reach 75 mm in length and has a green or brown body, highlighted by a curved spine located in its final abdominal segment. Its retractable head adopts a snake-like posture with impressive ocelli to scare away birds. It feeds on Epilobium and Galium, occasionally Fuchsia, skeletonizing leaves. During development its color varies from bright green to dark brown, exhibiting three pairs of abdominal spots that highlight its deceptive defensive mimicry. This caterpillar transforms into the elephant hawk moth or great purple sphinx moth.

The stuffed caterpillar measures about 2.5 cm and inhabits oaks, elms, wild plums and gardens with roses or ivy from Virginia to Florida, Mexico and Central America to South America. Covered with long bristles varying from grayish white to golden brown with an orange vein, it has poisonous spines that cause pain on contact. This caterpillar transforms into the flannel moth.

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