![]() Such larvae are mainly seen in the sawfly suborder. Some larvae of the order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) can appear like the caterpillars of the Lepidoptera. Their size varies between species and instars (moults) from as small as 1 millimetre (0.039 in) up to 14 centimetres (5.5 in). ![]() Larvae of Craesus septentrionalis, a sawfly showing six pairs of prolegs.Ĭaterpillars have soft bodies that can grow rapidly between moults. ![]() The inchworm, or looper caterpillars from the family Geometridae are so named because of the way they move, appearing to measure the earth (the word geometrid means earth-measurer in Greek) the primary reason for this unusual locomotion is the elimination of nearly all the prolegs except the clasper on the terminal segment. They derive from Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably an alteration of Old North French catepelose: cate, cat (from Latin cattus) + pelose, hairy (from Latin pilōsus). The origins of the word "caterpillar" date from the early 16th century. Conversely, various species of caterpillar are valued as sources of silk, as human or animal food, or for biological control of pest plants. In fact, many moth species are best known in their caterpillar stages because of the damage they cause to fruits and other agricultural produce, whereas the moths are obscure and do no direct harm. For example, clothes moths feed on wool, and horn moths feed on the hooves and horns of dead ungulates.Ĭaterpillars are typically voracious feeders and many of them are among the most serious of agricultural pests. ![]() ![]() Both lepidopteran and symphytan larvae have eruciform body shapes.Ĭaterpillars of most species eat plant material ( often leaves), but not all some (about 1%) eat insects, and some are even cannibalistic. A monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus) caterpillar feeding on an unopened seed pod of swamp milkweedĬaterpillars ( / ˈ k æ t ər p ɪ l ər/ KAT-ər-pil-ər) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).Īs with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Symphyta) are commonly called caterpillars as well. ![]()
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