Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

The Caterpillars of the World

Many people assume that when a caterpillar matures it will turn into a butterfly; however, this is not always true. Some caterpillars metamorphose into moths as well. Both butterflies and moths belong to the Lepidoptera order, but they have many intrinsic differences. Between moth caterpillars and butterfly caterpillars arise various subtypes. There are itchy caterpillars, edible caterpillars and even fake caterpillars. Many sawfly larvae resemble caterpillars, but they grow up to be bees, wasps or ants. To avoid the ones that can be harmful, distinguishing caterpillars is a handy skill to learn.

Butterfly Caterpillars
- There is no way to know whether a caterpillar will turn into a moth or a butterfly, other than by positively identifying it as the young of a specific Lepidoptera. Individual species rarely have distinguishing marks. Some bright and attractive caterpillars turn into drab-colored moths while some scary-looking caterpillars turn into dainty butterflies. Monarch caterpillars that feed on milkweed retain an attractive state during both stages. On the other hand, the wood-colored wood nymph butterfly starts out as a jade-green caterpillar.
Moth Caterpillars
- There are more moth caterpillars than there are butterfly caterpillars by a ratio of 16 to 1. One of the most common moth larvae is the forest tent caterpillar. It has unusual patterns on its back and an attractive color combination of blue, yellow and black, but it matures into the hairy, brown North American moth. An ethereal-looking luna moth, however, starts out as a caterpillar in an attractive green hue.
Poisonous Caterpillars
- Some caterpillars feature hairs that have venom in them. There are about 12 Lepidoptera families that cause hives and other health problem. There actually have been fatalities involving encounters with poisonous caterpillars in which the cause of death was intracranial hemorrhage. In oak forests in North America, the buck moth caterpillar uses its spines to fend off predators. Its sting causes welts and hemorrhaging. Another poisonous caterpillar is the saddleback caterpillar, the sting of which is the most severe among the slug caterpillars.
Edible Caterpillars
- In South Africa, people regularly harvest a large caterpillar called the mopane worm. In maturity, it turns into an emperor moth. Natives of the Democratic Republic of Congo frequently consume the meat of the mopane worm as part of their diet. Forty percent of the protein consumed in the Bas Congo actually comes from these edible caterpillars. Other African caterpillars that can be eaten are the Anaphe Venata Butler in Nigeria and the Saturniidae species in Zaire.

Animals & Science