Caterpillars Native to Minnesota

Types

• Multiple species of caterpillars are found in Minnesota. In the state's northern regions, one of the most common is the forest tent caterpillar. Gardeners throughout the state often encounter the tomato hornworm, which gets its name from the plant it most often feeds on. Other species include thistle caterpillars and zebra caterpillars.

Caterpillar Diets

• A variety of plants are considered food by different types of caterpillars. Often, a species of caterpillar will feed on only a single or small number of plants. The tomato hornworm, for example, most commonly feeds on tomatoes. It will also feed on similar plants, like the jimsonweed and nightshade. Forest tent caterpillars, on the other hand, feed entirely on tree leaves, like those from balsam polar, oak, ash and birch trees.

Descriptions

• Minnesota caterpillars come in many different colorations and patterns. The tomato hornbill has a bright-green color across the whole body and is marked by white diagonal lines along each side as well as a black, hornlike appendage from the rear of its body. Zebra caterpillars have white-and-black-speckled bodies with yellow stripes down the length of their bodies. One of the most distinctive caterpillars in Minnesota is the thistle caterpillar. Their coloration is black and yellow and they have multipronged spine extensions growing from them.

Caterpillar Threats

• Minnesota gardeners are likely to become acquainted with a number of caterpillar species that feed on various plants. The tomato hornbill, for instance, becomes a pest for gardens with tomatoes as well as potatoes, eggplants and peppers. Larger tomato hornbills are capable of destroying leaves and fruit. Forest tent caterpillars are another nuisance species mainly due to their population. During outbreaks, their population can number between one and four million caterpillars. These large numbers cause annoyance to humans visiting parks in northern regions of the state. They can also cause massive defoliation of trees, though this does not kill trees in the majority of cases.