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CaterpillarFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeCaterpillar (disambiguation).
Caterpillars are thelarvalform of a member of theorderLepidoptera(theinsectorder
comprisingbutterfliesandmoths). They are mostlyherbivorousin food habit, with some species
beinginsectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are
consideredpestsinagriculture. Many mothspeciesare better known in their caterpillar stages
because of the damage they cause to fruits and other agricultural produce.
The etymological origins of the word are from the early 16th century, fromMiddle
Englishcatirpel, catirpeller, probably an alteration ofOld North Frenchcatepelose: cate, cat
(from Latin cattus) + pelose, hairy (from Latin pilsus).[1]
Anatomy
A head, B thorax, C abdomen, 1 prothoracic shield, 2 spiracle, 3 true legs, 4 midabdominal prolegs, 5
anal proleg, 6 anal plate, 7 tentacle, a frontal triangle, b stemmata (ocelli), c antenna, d mandible, e
labrum.
Actias selenewith some of thespiraclesidentified.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_(disambiguation)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_(disambiguation)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_(disambiguation)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidopterahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidopterahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidopterahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterflyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterflyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterflyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest_(organism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest_(organism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest_(organism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Frenchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Frenchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Frenchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actias_selenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actias_selenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiraclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiraclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiraclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Actias_selene_5th_instar_spiracles_sjh.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caterpillar_morphology_diagram.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiraclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actias_selenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Frenchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest_(organism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbivorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterflyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insecthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidopterahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_(disambiguation)7/31/2019 Cat a Pillar
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Most caterpillars have tubular, segmented bodies. They havethree pairs of true legs on the three thoracic segments, up to fourpairs ofprolegson the middle segments of theabdomen, andoften a single pair of prolegs on the last abdominal segment.
There are ten abdominal segments. The families of lepidopteradiffer in the numbers and positioning of the prolegs. Somecaterpillars are fuzzy (which means they have hair), and they aremost likely to cause itching of the hands if touched.
Caterpillars grow through a series ofmoults; each intermediatestage is called aninstar. The last moult takes them into theinactive pupal or chrysalis stage.
Like all insects, caterpillars breathe through a series of smallopenings along the sides of their thorax and abdomencalledspiracles. These branch into the body cavity into a networkof tracheae. A few caterpillars of the familyPyralidaeare aquaticand have gills that let them breathe underwater.
[2]
Caterpillars have about 4,000 muscles (compared to humans,with 629). The average caterpillar has 248 muscles in the headsegment alone.
Caterpillars move by sliding their internal organs forward usingcontraction of the muscles; the torso first elongates and thencontracts like aslinky. They are one of the only known organismsthat use this method of locomotion. Another way of describing thisprocess is: gut-first, body-later.
[3]
[edit]Senses
Close-up of a caterpillar face.
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Caterpillars do not have good vision. They have a series of sixtiny eyelets or'stemmata' on each side of the lower portion oftheir head. These can probably form well focused, but poorlyresolved images.
[4]They move their heads from side to side
probably as a means of judging distance of objects, particularlyplants. They rely on their shortantennaeto help them locate food.
Some caterpillars are able to detect vibrations, usually at aspecific frequency. Caterpillars of the commonhook-tipmoth,Drepana arcuata(Drepanoidea) produce sounds to defendtheir silk nests from members of their own species,
[5]by scraping
against the leaf in a ritualized acoustic duel. They detect thevibrations conducted by the plant and not airborne sounds.
Similarly, cherry leaf rollers Caloptilia serotinelladefend theirrolls.
[6]Tent caterpillars can also detect vibrations at the frequency
of wing beats of one of their natural enemies.[7]
[edit]Classification
Ageometridcaterpillar or inchworm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_eyes_in_arthropods#Stemmatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_eyes_in_arthropods#Stemmatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_eyes_in_arthropods#Stemmatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-scoble-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-scoble-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-scoble-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-tip_mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-tip_mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-tip_mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-tip_mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caterpillar&action=edit§ion=3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caterpillar&action=edit§ion=3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caterpillar&action=edit§ion=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometridaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometridaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometridaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geometridae.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geometridae.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geometridae.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geometridae.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometridaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caterpillar&action=edit§ion=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-tip_mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook-tip_mothhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar#cite_note-scoble-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_eyes_in_arthropods#Stemmata7/31/2019 Cat a Pillar
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Crochets on a caterpillar's prolegs.
Thegeometrids, also known as inchworms or loopers, are sonamed because of the way they move, appearing to measure theearth (the word geometridmeans earth-measurerinGreek); theprimary reason for this unusual locomotion is the elimination ofnearly all the prolegs except the clasper on the terminal segment.
Caterpillars have soft bodies that can grow rapidly between
moults. Only the head capsule is hardened. In caterpillars,themandiblesare tough and sharp for chewing leaves; in mostadult Lepidoptera, the mandibles are highly reduced, or soft.Behind the mandibles of the caterpillar are thespinnerets, formanipulating silk.
Some larvae of theHymenoptera(ants, bees and wasps) ordercan appear like the caterpillars of the lepidoptera. These aremainly seen in theSawflyfamily and while the larvae superficially
resemble caterpillars, they can be distinguished by the presenceof prolegs on every abdominal segment. Another difference is thatlepidopteran caterpillars have crochets or hooks on the prolegswhile these are absent on the sawfly larvae. Also in lepidopterancaterpillars is the upside down Y shapedsutureon the front of the
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head.[4]
The larvae of sawflies differ also in havingprominentocellion the head capsule.
[edit]Defenses
Thesaddleback caterpillarhasurticating hairandaposematic colouring.
Many animals feed on caterpillars as they are rich in protein; as aresult, caterpillars have evolved various means of defenses. Theappearance of a caterpillar can often repel a predator, themarkings and certain body parts can make it seem poisonous,bigger in size thus threatening, or non-edible. Some types ofcaterpillars are indeed poisonous, and are capable of shootingacid.
[citation needed]
Some caterpillars have long "whip-like" organs attached to the
ends of their body. The caterpillar wiggles these organs to frightenaway flies.
[8]
Caterpillars have evolved defences against physical conditionssuch as cold, hot or dry environmental conditions. Some Arcticspecies likeGynaephora groenlandicahave special basking andaggregation behaviours[9]apart from physiological adaptations toremain in a dormant state.
[10]
[edit]Appearance
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Costa Ricanhairy caterpillar. The spiny bristles are a self-defense mechanism
Many caterpillars arecrypticallycoloured and resemble the plantson which they feed and may even have parts thatmimicplantparts such as thorns. Their size varies from as little as 1 mm toabout 3 inches (76 mm). Some look like objects in the
environment such as bird droppings. Many feed enclosed insidesilk galleries, rolled leaves or by miningbetween the leafsurfaces. Caterpillars ofNemoria arizonariathat grow in springfeed on oak catkins and appear green. The summer brood appearlike oak twigs. The differential development is linked to the tannincontent in the diet.[11]
More aggressive self-defense measures are taken by caterpillars.These caterpillars have spiny bristles or long fine hair-
likesetaewith detachable tips that will irritate by lodging in theskin or mucous membranes.
[4]Some birds, likecuckoos, will
swallow even the hairiest of caterpillars. The most aggressivedefenses are bristles associated withvenomglands,calledurticating hairs; a venom among the most potent defensivechemicals in any animals is produced by theSouth AmericansilkmothgenusLonomia. It is ananticoagulantpowerful enough tocause a human tohemorrhageto death (SeeLonomiasis).
[12]This
chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications.Most urticating hairs range in effect from mild irritationtodermatitis.
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Giant swallowtailcaterpillar everting itsosmeteriumin defense
Plants have evolved poisons to protect themselves fromherbivores and some caterpillars have evolved countermeasuresand eat the leaves of these toxic plants. In addition to beingunaffected by the poison, theysequesterit in their body, making
them highly toxic to predators. These chemicals are also carriedon into the adult stages. These toxic species, such astheCinnabar moth(Tyria jacobaeae) and monarch (Danausplexippus) caterpillars, usually advertise themselves with brightlystriped or coloured in black, red and yellowthe danger colors(seeaposematism). Any predator that attempts to eat a caterpillarwith an aggressive defence mechanism will learn and avoid futureattempts.
Larvae ofCraesus septentrionalis,asawflyshowing 6 pairs of pro-legs.
Some caterpillars regurgitate acidic digestive juices at attackingenemies. Manypapilionidlarvae produce bad smells fromextrudable glands calledosmeteria.
Caterpillars can evade predators by using a silk line and droppingoff from branches when disturbed.
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Some caterpillars obtain protection by associating themselveswithants. TheLycaenidbutterflies are particularly well known forthis. They communicate with their ant protectors by vibrations aswell as chemical means and typically provide food rewards.
[13]
Some caterpillars aregregarious; large aggregations are believedto help in reducing the levels of parasitization andpredation.
[14]Clusters amplify the signal of aposematic coloration,
and individuals may participate in group regurgitation or displays.
Caterpillars can be confused with the larvae ofsawflies(seeimage on right). Lepidopteran larvae can be differentiated by:
the numbers of pairs of pro-legs; sawfly larvae have 6 while
caterpillars have up to 5 pairs. the number of stemmata (simple eyes); the sawfly larvae have
only two, while a caterpillar has six.
the presence of crochets on the prolegs; these are absent intheSymphyta(sawflies).
[edit]Behavior
APasture Day Mothcaterpillar feeding on capeweed
Caterpillars have been called "eating machines", and eat leaves
voraciously. Most species shed theirskinfour or five times astheir bodies grow, and they eventuallypupateinto an adultform.
[15]Caterpillars grow very quickly; for instance, atobacco
hornwormwill increase its weight ten-thousandfold in less thantwenty days. An adaptation that enables them to eat so much is amechanism in a specialized midgut that quickly transports ions to
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the lumen (midgut cavity), to keep the potassium level higher inthe midgut cavity than in the blood.
[16]
AGypsy Mothcaterpillar
Most caterpillars are solelyherbivorous. Many are restricted toone species of plant, while others are polyphagous. A few,including theclothes moth, feed ondetritus. Most predatorycaterpillars feed on eggs of other insects, aphids, scale insects, orant larvae. Some are cannibals, and others prey on caterpillars ofother species (e.g. Hawai'ianEupithecia). A few are parasitic oncicadas or leaf hoppers.
[17]Some Hawai'ian caterpillars
(Hyposmocoma molluscivora) use silk traps to capture snails.[18]
Many caterpillars are nocturnal. For example, the "cutworms" (oftheNoctuidaefamily) hide at the base of plants during the dayand only feed at night.
[19]Others, such as gypsy moth (Lymantria
dispar) larvae, change their activity patterns depending on densityand larval stage, with more diurnal feeding in early instars andhigh densities.
[20]
[edit]Economic effects
Hypsipyla grandeladamagesmahoganyinBrazil
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Caterpillars cause much damage, mainly by eating leaves. Thepropensity for damage is enhanced bymonoculturalfarmingpractices, especially where the caterpillar is specifically adaptedto the host plant under cultivation. Thecotton bollwormcauses
enormous losses. Other species eat food crops. Caterpillars havebeen the target ofpest controlthrough the useofpesticides,biological controlandagronomicpractices. Manyspecies have become resistant topesticides. Bacterial toxinssuch as those fromBacillus thuringiensiswhich are evolved toaffect the gut of Lepidoptera have been used in sprays ofbacterial spores, toxin extracts and also by incorporating genes toproduce them within the host plants. These approaches are
defeated over time by the evolution of resistance mechanisms inthe insects.
[21]
Plants evolve mechanisms of resistance to being eaten bycaterpillars, including the evolution of chemical toxins andphysical barriers such as hairs. Incorporatinghost plantresistance(HPR) through plant breeding is another approachused in reducing the impact of caterpillars on crop plants.
[22]
Some caterpillars are used in industry. Thesilkindustry is based
on thesilkwormcaterpillar.
[edit]Human health
Buck Mothcaterpillar sting on a shin twenty-four hours after occurrence in southLouisiana. The reddish mark covers
an area about 20mm at its widest point by about 70mm in length.
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Caterpillar hair can be a cause of human health problems.Caterpillar hairs sometimes have venoms in them and speciesfrom approximately 12 families of moths or butterflies worldwidecan inflict serious human injuries ranging fromurticarialdermatitis
andatopicasthmatoosteochondritis,consumptioncoagulopathy,renalfailure,andintracerebralhemorrhage.
[23]Skin rashes are the most
common, but there have been fatalities.[24]
Lonomiais a frequentcause of envenomation in Brazil, with 354 cases reportedbetween 1989 and 2005. Lethality ranging up to 20% with deathcaused most often by intracranial hemorrhage.
[25]
Caterpillar hairs have also been known to causekerato-
conjunctivitis. The sharp barbs on the end of caterpillar hairs canget lodged in soft tissues andmucus membranes such as theeyes. Once they enter such tissues, they can be difficult toextract, often exacerbating the problem as they migrate acrossthe membrane.
[26]
This becomes a particular problem in an indoor setting. The hairseasily enter buildings through ventilation systems and accumulatein indoor environments because of their small size, which makes
it difficult for them to be vented out. This accumulation increasesthe risk of human contact in indoor environments.
[27]
[edit]
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Some species of caterpillar are also highly poisonous, particularly
those species that live in the tropical rain forests. Other species
are only poisonous in their caterpillar form, meaning when they
turn into amothorbutterfly, they no longer have venom.
There are more than 20,000 different species of known caterpillar
found all around the world and it is estimated that there are many
more that are undiscovered as new species of butterflies
andmothsare regularly found in regions where there is little, of
any,humanpresence.
Caterpillars difference in size, colour and appearance depending
on their species. Some caterpillars are very brightly coloured
where other caterpillar species are quite dull-looking in
comparison. Some species of caterpillars are very hairy, where
others are very smooth. The main aim of the appearance of the
caterpillar is to intimidate it'spredatorsand to deter them from
eating it.
The caterpillar, like thebutterfly, is a herbivorousanimal but
thedietsof the caterpillar and thebutterflyare very different.
Butterflies use their long straw-like tongues to drink the nectar
out of flowers, which is an adaptation that occurs in the process
where the caterpillar becomes abutterfly. Caterpillars mainly feed
on leaves, plants and flowering plants and big holes can often be
found in leaves indicating the presence of a caterpillar.
A number of species of caterpillar are known to be carnivorous
and eat a variety ofinsectsthat pass them. One caterpillar species
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found in Hawaii, hooks itself onto a leaf where it stands very
straight trying to catching passing bugs.
Due to their small size and worm-like shape, caterpillars are
preyed upon by numerous different species ofanimalbut the
mainpredatorsof the caterpillar arebirdsand largeinsectssuch
aswasps. Caterpillars are also commonly preyed upon
by smallmammalsandreptiles.
CaterpillarInsect. Butterflies and moths spend their
childhood as caterpillars, called the larval stage.
Caterpillars eat constantly. They outgrow their
skin and shed it several times. After the last
shedding, the caterpillar fastens to a branch and
enters the pupa or chrysalis stage; moth
caterpillars use a silk thread from their silk
glands to spin a protective cocoon. Inside thecocoon, the pupa goes through a process called
metamorphosis. The caterpillar's six front legs
transform into the adult insect's legs, the other
prolegs disappear, wings grow, and the insect emerges as a beautiful moth or butterfly.
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Life Cycle of Butterflies and Moths
As advanced insects, butterflies and moths have a "complete" life cycle. This means that
there are four separate stages, each of which looks completely different and serves a
different purpose in the life of the insect.
English|Franais|Deutsch|Espaol|Italiano|Nederlands
The egg is a tiny, round, oval, or cylindrical
object, usually with fine ribs and other
microscopic structures. The female attaches theegg to leaves, stems, or other objects, usually on
or near the intended caterpillar food.
http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cyclehttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cyclehttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/frenchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/frenchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/frenchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/germanhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/germanhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/germanhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/spanishhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/spanishhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/spanishhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/italianhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/italianhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/italianhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/dutchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/dutchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/dutchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/dutchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/italianhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/spanishhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/germanhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle/frenchhttp://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle7/31/2019 Cat a Pillar
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The caterpillar (or larva) is the long, worm-like
stage of the butterfly or moth. It often has an
interesting pattern of stripes or patches, and it
may have spine-like hairs. It is the feeding and
growth stage. As it grows, it sheds its skin fouror more times so as to enclose its rapidly
growing body.
The chrysalis (or pupa) is the transformation
stage within which the caterpillar tissues are
broken down and the adult insect's structures are
formed. The chrysalis of most species is brown
or green and blends into the background. Many
species overwinter in this stage.
The adult (or imago) is colorful butterfly or
moth usually seen. It is the reproductive and
mobile stage for the species. The adults undergo
courtship, mating, and egg-laying. The adult
butterfly or moth is also the stage that migrates
or colonizes new habitats. The butterfly pictured
here is aMonarch, which is fairly large in size.
The Monarch's wingspan is 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches
(8.6 - 12.4 cm).
Adult Anatomy
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The Caterpillar or LarvaA caterpillar is an eating machine. Its consists of a pair of jaws or mandibles for
chewing plant matter followed by a long gut for digestion. It moves using three pairs
of true legs (like all insects) and five further pairs of 'prolegs', sucker like structures
with hooks on the end for gripping hold of the leaves and stems. Along the side of the
larva are small openings, spiracles, nine pairs in all, through which respiration occurs.A modified set of salivary glands, spinnerets, produce silk, which is discussed later on
this page. All butterfly larvae are hairy, some quite spectacularly covered with bushes
ofsetae, they may well be off-putting to potential predators.
When first hatched the larva or caterpillar is very small indeed, just a few millimeters
long. These first instarlarvae look similar regardless of which species they belong to.
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Usually the caterpillar immediately searches out food and starts to eat, although some
species overwinter at this stage.
Due to the nature of
the skeleton of insects
they cannot grow inthe same way that we
do. Every so often the
caterpillar sheds its
skin so that it can
expand and grow to a
larger size. This
process is known
as ecdysis and each
time it happens the
caterpillar moves on to
a new instar. MostEuropean species molt
four times and so their
final stage is usually
the fifth instar.
Caterpillars feed
for a large part of
their time,
consuming an ever
increasing amount
of foodplant as
they get rapidlylarger. Some
species prefer the
cover of night to
avoid unwanted
attention,
theComma,Polyg
onia c-album,
spends most of its
time underneath
leaves for the same
reason. Theirexcrement, usually
called frass, is
dropped all over
the place in small
lumps.
The larva of theLarge
white,Pieris brassicae,
pictured left demonstrates
where the frass gets its colourfrom.
Some butterfly species
actually have a system of
catapulting it away to deter
predators, for example
theSmall
skipper,Thymelicus
sylvestris. TheWhite
admiral,Limenitis camilla ac
tually covers itself in its ownfrass as disruptive
camouflage to confuse
predators.
http://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/ukm1.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/ukm1.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/ukm1.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/whites/ukm5.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/whites/ukm5.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/whites/ukm5.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/whites/ukm5.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/skippers/ukm2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/skippers/ukm2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/skippers/ukm2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/skippers/ukm2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/uk2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/uk2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/uk2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/uk2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/uk2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/uk2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/skippers/ukm2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/skippers/ukm2.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/whites/ukm5.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/whites/ukm5.htmhttp://www.butterfly-guide.co.uk/species/nymphalids/ukm1.htm7/31/2019 Cat a Pillar
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Two views of the fully grown Comma larva, Polygonia c-
album.
The right view shows the disruptive colouring. Which end
would you go for if you were a bird?
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Caterpillars produce a silken
thread from organs beside
their jaws. This is used for a
variety of purposes. It gives
the caterpillars a good hold
on their foodplant and some
use it to rest between bouts of
feeding.
Others, for exampleSmall
tortoiseshell(Aglais
urticae) andPeacock(Inachis
io) build a web in which the
young caterpillars live
together, presumably for
defensive purposes, only
dispersing when near fullygrown.
When a caterpillar is fully grown it takes time to
wander in search of a suitable pupation site. This
stage is sometimes known as the prepupa. The larva
will let all frass clear its system before pupation.
Different families pupate in different ways. A
Nymphalid (left) spins a silken pad and hangs head
down using its anal claspers to grip on. A Pierid
(right) however spins a pad then attaches itself with
head upwards, spinning a silken girdle for support.
A short while after the larva has attached itself the
change to a pupa begins. It is thought a hormone is
introduced into the system to begin this process.
Butterfly Life Cycle - Egg: Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of their host plant. Each butterfly
species has certain plants that their caterpillars must eat to live and grow. Some butterfly species are very
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specific to one or two plants while others may be able to eat a family of plants. Butterfly eggs are small in
general (like the size of a pin head) and usually hatch in about 3-7 days.
Butterfly Life Cycle - Caterpillar: The caterpillar hatches from the egg and usually the first thing it does
is eat the egg shell. After that it will start consuming the host plant. The caterpillar will spend the next
several weeks eating and growing since that is its main purpose.
Butterfly Life Cycle - Chrysalis: This stage is often a called a cocoon, but generally a cocoon is the
pupa stage of a moth while a chrysalis is the pupa stage of a butterfly. At this point the caterpillar has
made its final molt into a pupa and in about 1-2 weeks an adult butterfly will emerge.
Butterfly Life Cycle - Adult Butterfly: The adult butterfly will spend its time eating nectar and
mating/laying eggs. Many butterflies only live about 2 weeks, however, some species such as the
monarchs will overwinter by migrating south and thus will live for many months.
The Caterpillar:
Caterpillars are truly eating machines. Before they become a chrysalis their body mass will increase
thousands of times. With all this rapid growing they end up molting several times before their final molt
into a chrysalis. They grow their new exoskeleton beneath their current skin then when the time comes
they split the old skin off. Many times they will eat the old skin before returning to their leaf-munching.
Caterpillars will change their appearance sometimes dramatically between their molts. An example is the
black swallowtail caterpillar. When it is very young it is black with a white saddle. By the time it becomes
ready to pupate it has become a beautiful mix of stripes and dots with colors of yellow, white, black and
green. That can make identification more difficult since their appearance depends on their age.
Caterpillar identification is not really that difficult if you happen to know what plant they are eating. If you
can identify the plant then it becomes much easier to identify the caterpillar since they are so particular to
their own host plant. Just Google the "plant name" plus "caterpillar" or "host plant" and you are very likely
to find the butterfly or moth species to which the caterpillar belongs.
The butterfly life cycle is fascinating and caterpillars are great fun to raise into butterflies indoors. For
more information about the caterpillar life cycle visitLife Cycle of a Butterfly.
http://www.joyfulbutterfly.com/articles/lifecyclebutterfly.htmlhttp://www.joyfulbutterfly.com/articles/lifecyclebutterfly.htmlhttp://www.joyfulbutterfly.com/articles/lifecyclebutterfly.htmlhttp://www.joyfulbutterfly.com/articles/lifecyclebutterfly.html