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They have a worm-like body; they do not eat soil and do not live under the ground, but they are long and have a soft, ‘squishy’ body…
However, if you observe them well, even these tiny creatures can be absolutely fascinating.
What am I talking about? Caterpillars, of course! How to identify them? Let’s start with the green caterpillars.
What are Caterpillars?
Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies and moths; that means that they are not adult animals, as they do not have reproductive organs. They will develop them later, but, at this stage, they have no wings and have tiny stubby legs, unlike their adult’s counterparts, and they have special mouths, very much unlike those of butterflies; their mouths, in fact, are made for eating – a lot and fast!
Why? Simply because in this phase of their life they need to grow, fast and a lot; they need to increase their body mass and size enormously (how much depends on the species) to be able to form a chrysalis and then become an adult, with wings and all!
So, their provident mothers tend to lay eggs straight on the food which the little ones are going to eat continuously for that phase of their life. In most cases, their food ends up being leaves. Because caterpillars are, as we said before, soft, there is an extra problem… they have lots of predators.
In fact, to a bird, for example, a caterpillar is a juicy, soft meal with no defense. So, what could they do to avoid being caught by their predators? Obviously, most of them will tend to mingle in with the color of the food they eat. That is why the great majority of caterpillars are green!
What does that mean? It does not mean that they are all caterpillars of the same species, i.e. that when they grow up they will all become the same butterfly. In fact, among green caterpillars, we have the ‘prepubescents’ of butterflies of all sorts, sizes, and colors…
So, how can you tell which butterfly a green caterpillar will turn into? That is not easy, especially if you think that green caterpillars are all the same. In order to identify which species a green caterpillar belongs to, you need to pay particular attention to lots of features that may not be clearly distinguishable to most people.
We will now look at some of the most popular and widespread green caterpillars and you will find out that while they seem to be all the same, in reality, they are a wonderful world full of variety and fun…
How are Green Caterpillars Identified?
There are a few features that can help you identify a green caterpillar; although they take their name from the butterflies or moths they turn into (they are the same animal), they are so different from their adults’ counterparts that identification is not possible this way, at least not unless you are an expert.
Instead, we will look at:
- Their habitat (where they live)
- Their feeding habits (what plants they eat)
- Their size
- Their colour(s)
- Their physical features
We will also look at whether they can sting or harm you or not.
Genista Broom Moth Catepillar
This is the caterpillar of a brown moth whose scientific name is Uresiphita Reversalis; it is quite small, a few centimeters in length. Although it is usually green, it can change its color according to the environment (which is the leaves it feeds on); so sometimes it will be brownish and sometimes even yellowish.
It is very common in the USA, especially on the East Coast and in southern states, but it has also been documented on the West Coast. It feeds on a variety of leaves, while other caterpillars feed only on a particular plant or group of plants.
It has a blackhead which is clearly defined, as a round ball at the end of its body. Moreover, it is easy to identify because it has black and white spots from which you can notice thin white spikes or stiff bristles. Despite this, it is totally innocuous and it will not sting humans, but if you see it in your garden, it can cause some damage to some plants.
White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar
The caterpillar of the Hyles Lineata, as it is known to scientists, a very common, white and dark moth, which can be found all over most of North America, is yet another larva that can feed on a wide range of leaves, including tomatoes, apples, grapes, fuchsia, purslane, and other very common plants.
So, no wonder why it can spread very easily: it is quite adaptable when it comes to its eating habits. But eat it does and quite continuously. You may even find very large colonies of this green caterpillar, as they have the ability to build numbers up very quickly.
How can you recognize it? Well, it is quite simple; much bigger and chubbier than the caterpillar of the Genista Broom Moth, it is usually green but with black, horizontal stripes, which, in a way, resemble the pattern on the wings of their adult selves. However, some have red and yellow spots (which makes them look like they are poisonous).
Note that the exact coloration of this caterpillar can change significantly too, in the same way as it does for others that feed on different species of plants, according to its surroundings and other factors. What makes them very, very distinctive, though, is that they have yellow and orange horns on what appears to be their head. Well, appears to be, because, in reality, this is their back.
Why is it so weird? Well, the answer is simple, appearing to have the head on one side while it is on the other can fool predators, and the fact that it has bright colors, contrasts and horns make it appear like it is poisonous. Many poisonous animals are in fact brightly colored to warn off predators (wasps, for example, and spiders).
So, will it sting you? Well, some people will say so, at least that is a popular belief… The reality is that it is all a bluff! This little creature has learned how to take the Mickey out of predators (and even humans) and appear to be dangerous, while in reality, it is totally innocuous.
Tomato Hornworm Caterpillar
As the name suggests, this green caterpillar is different from the others we have seen so far. Why? It specializes in eating one plant: tomatoes, however, it also eats pepper, tobacco, eggplant, and potato plants.. It too will become a moth when it grows up – a beautiful white, silver, and black one to be exact.
Its Latin name is Manduca quinquemaculata and it is far less common than the previous ones; in fact, it is to be found especially in Canada and in northern parts of the USA. It can grow to be about 10 cm long or even longer at times (13 cm max), which is a lot for a green caterpillar!
Thus, it is sort of easy to recognize. However, the features that make it very recognizable are others… It is quite chubby too, and it appears to have segments divided by diagonal grooves which have a white stripe in it and a black dot underneath.
Its little legs are quite long for a caterpillar, and it has a black pointy tail (a spike) at the back, while its head is particularly big. It too, despite being big and having a scary spike at the back is totally innocuous and will not sting you nor harm you.
Io Moth Caterpillar
This one is easy to identify in many ways. It lives in North America and it too can eat a series of leaves, including those of nettle, hibiscus, and mangrove. When it grows up, it becomes a very colorful moth, yellow, red, and warm brown in color with two big blue dots that look like eyes.
It is known to scientists as Automeris Io, and it is not uncommon. It is, as we said, very easy to recognize; it has a horizontal groove, which, if you look carefully, is red in color, while its body is bright green. Yet, what seems to set it apart from other green caterpillars is that it has a series of what look like brushes, or fountains of thorns, very bright green indeed that look a bit like sea urchins or a cactus. However, because it is quite small, you may not notice them at first.
Now, unlike the other green caterpillars we have met so far, this one stings, and it is very poisonous. Its spikes will enter your skin and remain there, and they will start hurting immediately. So, if you happen to see one, keep it safe distance!
The Final Flight
Before green caterpillars turn into butterflies or moths, most people ignore them, some even find them disgusting; however, you will agree with me that if you take the time to get to know them properly, there are some real beauties out there, munching away at a few leaves…
They are as beautiful as larvae as they are when they grow up, grow wings, and take to the sky!
