Saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimulea)

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.