Deilephila elpenor, the elephant hawk moth or large elephant hawk moth,[2] is a moth in the family Sphingidae. Its common name is derived from the caterpillar's resemblance to an elephant's trunk.[3] It is most common in central Europe and is distributed throughout the Palearctic region.[4] It has also been introduced in British Columbia, Canada. Its distinct olive and pink colouring makes it one of the most recognisable moths in its range.[5] However, it is quite easy to confuse the elephant hawk moth with the small elephant hawk moth, a closely related species that also shares the characteristic colours.[6]
Automeris io, the Io moth (EYE-oh) or peacock moth, is a colorful North American moth in the family Saturniidae.[5][6] The Io moth is also a member of the subfamily Hemileucinae.[7] The name Io comes from Greek mythology in which Io was a mortal lover of Zeus.[8] The Io moth ranges from the southeast corner of Manitoba and in the southern extremes of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in Canada, and in the US it is found from Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, east of those states and down to the southern end of Florida.[9] The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775.
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies in the family Papilionidae, and include over 550 species. Though the majority are tropical, members of the family inhabit every continent except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the birdwing butterflies of the genus Ornithoptera.[1]
Papilio glaucus, the eastern tiger swallowtail, is a species of butterfly native to eastern North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States,[3] ranging north to southern Ontario, Canada,[4] and is common in many different habitats. It flies from spring until fall, during which it produces two to three broods. Adults feed on the nectar of many species of flowers, mostly from those of the families Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. P. glaucus has a wingspan measuring 7.9 to 14 cm (3.1 to 5.5 in). The male is yellow with four black "tiger stripes" on each forewing. Females may be either yellow or black, making them dimorphic. The yellow morph is similar to the male, but with a conspicuous band of blue spots along the hindwing, while the dark morph is almost completely black.
Papilio glaucus, the eastern tiger swallowtail, is a species of butterfly native to eastern North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States,[3] ranging north to southern Ontario, Canada,[4] and is common in many different habitats. It flies from spring until fall, during which it produces two to three broods. Adults feed on the nectar of many species of flowers, mostly from those of the families Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. P. glaucus has a wingspan measuring 7.9 to 14 cm (3.1 to 5.5 in). The male is yellow with four black "tiger stripes" on each forewing. Females may be either yellow or black, making them dimorphic. The yellow morph is similar to the male, but with a conspicuous band of blue spots along the hindwing, while the dark morph is almost completely black.
Citheronia regalis, the regal moth or royal walnut moth, is a North American moth in the family Saturniidae. The caterpillars are called hickory horned devils. The adult (imago) has a wingspan of 3.75–6.1 in (9.5–15.5 cm). The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793.
Antheraea polyphemus, the Polyphemus moth, is a North American member of the family Saturniidae, the giant silk moths. It is a tan-colored moth, with an average wingspan of 15 cm (6 in). The most notable feature of the moth is its large, purplish eyespots on its two hindwings. The eyespots give it its name – from the Greek myth of the cyclops Polyphemus. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1776. The species is widespread in continental North America, with local populations found throughout subarctic Canada and the United States. The caterpillar can eat 86,000 times its weight at emergence in a little less than two months. Polyphemus moths are considered to be very polyphagous, meaning they eat from a wide variety of plants.[2]
Eacles imperialis, the imperial moth, is a member of the family Saturniidae and subfamily Ceratocampinae. It is found mainly in the East of South America and North America, from the center of Argentina to south Canada.[1] The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
The saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimuli, formerly Sibine stimulea) is the larva of a species of moth native to eastern North America. It is also found in Mexico.[1] The species belongs to the family of slug caterpillars, Limacodidae.
Acronicta americana, the American dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It was originally described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841 and is native to North America.
Papilio polyxenes, the (eastern) black swallowtail, American swallowtail or parsnip swallowtail,[4] is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. An extremely similar-appearing species, Papilio joanae, occurs in the Ozark Mountains region, but it appears to be closely related to Papilio machaon, rather than P. polyxenes. The species is named after the figure in Greek mythology, Polyxena (pron.: /pəˈlɪksɨnə/; Greek: Πολυξένη), who was the youngest daughter of King Priam of Troy. Its caterpillar is called the parsley worm because the caterpillar feeds on parsley.[4]
The giant leopard moth (Hypercompe scribonia) is a moth of the family Erebidae. They are distributed through North America from southern Ontario, and southern and eastern United States through New England, Mexico, and south to Colombia.[2][3] The obsolete name, Ecpantheria scribonia, is still occasionally encountered.
Megalopyge opercularis is a moth of the family Megalopygidae. It has numerous common names, including southern flannel moth for its adult form, and puss caterpillar, asp, Italian asp, fire caterpillar, woolly slug, opossum bug,[3] puss moth, tree asp, asp caterpillar, and Donald Trump caterpillar[4] for its juvenile form.
Aglais io, the European peacock,[3][4][5] or the peacock butterfly, is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe and temperate Asia as far east as Japan. The peacock butterfly is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It therefore often appears quite early in spring.
The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae.[6] Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown.[7] It is among the most familiar of North American butterflies and an iconic pollinator,[8] although it is not an especially effective pollinator of milkweeds.[9] Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3.5–4.0 in).[10] A Müllerian mimic, the viceroy butterfly, is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing.
The mullein moth (Cucullia verbasci) is a noctuid moth with a Palearctic distribution. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The garden tiger moth or great tiger moth[2] (Arctia caja) is a moth of the family Erebidae. Arctia caja is a northern species found in the US, Canada, and Europe.[3][4] The moth prefers cold climates with temperate seasonality, as the larvae overwinter,[3] and preferentially chooses host plants that produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids.[5][6][3] However, garden tiger moths are generalists, and will pick many different plants to use as larval host plants.[5][4][3]
Sphinx ligustri, the privet hawk moth, is a moth found in most of the Palearctic realm. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimuli, formerly Sibine stimulea) is the larva of a species of moth native to eastern North America. It is also found in Mexico.[1] The species belongs to the family of slug caterpillars, Limacodidae.
Are caterpillars insects? The answer is yes, but they are an incomplete form of certain insects4. Caterpillars are the larval stage of 180,000 insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies and moths. Caterpillars develop to become their winged adult form.
Generally, caterpillars have a cylindrical body shape with a segmented structure. Each body segment typically bears a pair of legs.
They live on every continent except Antarctica. Some countries known for their diverse caterpillar populations include the United States, Brazil, Australia, India, China, and African and European countries.
Next on our caterpillar facts is their stinging abilities. Stinging caterpillars, like the Puss Caterpillar, Io Moth Caterpillar, and Flannel Moth Caterpillar, possess specialized structures with venomous spines or irritating substances as a defensive adaptation. Found in various regions of North and South America, these caterpillars deliver painful stings when touched, deterring predators and potential threats.
Contact with the venomous spines can cause localized reactions, such as an intense burning sensation, swelling, and redness.
While the stings can be uncomfortable and lead to allergic reactions in some cases, they are generally not life-threatening for humans and subside over time without medical intervention.
However, it is best to avoid handling or touching caterpillars in the wild, especially if unsure of their identification, and exercise caution when exploring natural habitats where other caterpillars may reside.
Another caterpillar fact that you might be interested in is that silkworm caterpillars can spin silk threads from a particular protein in their salivary glands.
They use this silk to weave a cozy cocoon for protection as they transform into pupae. The silken thread spun by a single silkworm can be up to 900 meters long, over half a mile! Humans have been breeding silkworms for their silk for thousands of years, a practice known as sericulture.
While silk and silk fabric have many uses, including in fashion and medicine, silk production involves boiling the cocoon killing the moth.
Scientists are exploring ways to use silk in medical applications like stitches, artificial skin, and drug delivery systems because our bodies accept silk more quickly than other materials.
The spicebush swallowtail butterfly is pretty, but its larva is so cute. Its bright color makes it look like a Disney cartoon character. The caterpillar starts green and later becomes yellow or orange.
The spicebush swallowtail caterpillar has markings around its head resembling snake eyes. The yellow and black false eyes disguise the caterpillar as a scary snake to confuse predators3.
The saddleback caterpillar is the larva of the slug moth. Its claim to this cute bugs list is the bright blanket of color around its middle. The blanket is primarily bright green with strips of red and white around the borders.
Those colors are warning colors that signal toxicity to ward off predators. The saddleback caterpillar has spikes along its lower sides, head, and tail. The sting from these spikes is poisonous and painful.
For a few metaphors related to transformation, you might also like our caterpillar quotes.
