Identifying caterpillars made easy

Identify the butterfly caterpillar

Not only butterflies, but also their caterpillars are often beautiful animals. Many species adorn themselves with conspicuous warts, with points rich in contrast to the basic color Eye spots, wart hairs that sit in tufts or form a row, or with a dense one Fur. Some are so typical that it is easy to identify. Unfortunately, the appearance of some caterpillars changes in the course of development. So not every caterpillar stage looks the same. That makes things more complicated.

If you find a caterpillar, it is best to photograph it and take notes. Which plant is the caterpillar sitting on? How tall is she? Does it occur individually or in groups? If possible, don't just do a top view. Try to get the bottom with your legs in the picture.

At home you can go in search of the caterpillar. There are numerous websites on the Internet with photos of butterflies and their associated caterpillars.

This page shows caterpillars in different stages of development.

If you opt for an identification book instead, pay attention to the illustrations and texts. Don't skimp in the wrong place, the book should also show the caterpillars of the moths. Since many caterpillars only feed on certain plants, you may also need a book on identifying trees, shrubs, and wild herbs and flowers.

Features of caterpillars

The body of caterpillars is divided into several segments, the head, three breast segments and ten abdomen segments.

To determine it, you often have to look at the "pairs of legs" of the caterpillars. They are not real legs, just protuberances of the skin. Most animals have three pairs of belly legs on the breast segments. Another four pairs of belly legs are also common. Another pair is often added to the last segment, called a follower. You can see a gap between the front and rear stomach legs.

All external features such as hair and bristles are much more noticeable. If you recognize an everted neck fork on the abdomen, then it is a caterpillar of a knightly butterfly. Bear moth caterpillars are very hairy. Long tufts of hair of different colors carry the carrier moths. A sting is usually typical for the caterpillars of swarmers. It is the anal horn that you recognize like a sting. Linden and skull hawks are typical representatives of this group.

Some examples of native species

The caterpillar is a particularly beautiful specimen of the gypsy moth. The hairy caterpillars appear gray to gray-yellow and adorn themselves with distinctly red warts. There are also blue dots in the front area. On the warts and points there are fine hairs, darker colored and longer than the rest. Unfortunately, this description does not apply equally to all caterpillars of the butterfly. Young animals look different from fully developed animals. Depending on the occurrence, there are also variable colors.

Eye-catching dot patterns and stripes are also common. They serve to deter predators. In the wine lover there are eye-like points on the abdomen. The monarch butterfly wears horizontal stripes that warn: Beware of poison! The caterpillar lives on poisonous plants and is itself poisonous.

To identify the animals, not only their appearance is important, but often also the location. The so-called nettle butterflies can be found preferentially on nettles. When it comes to appearance, size, smooth or hairy surface, color, pattern, warts, bristles and more all play a role. The nettle butterflies include peacock butterfly, thistle butterfly, small fox and admiral.

The appearance of the caterpillar changes in the course of its development: the young caterpillars of the lesser night peacock (Saturnia pavonia) are black and resemble those of the peacock eye. With each moult, the basic color changes more and more to green. In the meantime, a band of irregular, black spots stretches across the already green body, which can also be seen weakened on the left and right of the sides. In the end, the caterpillar of the night peacock butterfly is almost monochrome green with yellow warts that are bordered in black with dark hairs.

The caterpillars of the ram are equipped with the corresponding pairs of legs. They are compact caterpillars that need butterfly and umbelliferous and rose family as food. This includes the blood droplet (Zygaena filipendulae) with a yellow colored caterpillar, the back of which is provided with a double row of black spots.

Very typical caterpillars are those of the Spanner (Geometridae). You can already recognize the mostly green animals by their locomotion. You are missing the middle belly legs. Therefore, they form a hump. They move forward by stretching the body afterwards.

You will find most of the caterpillars in summer. But there are also some wintering species. The blackberry moth (Macrothylacia rubi) lives as a caterpillar from August to late autumn and then from spring to April. The caterpillars are up to 8 centimeters in size. There is also a red-brown color mixed with black-gray hair.

Dealing with butterflies and their caterpillars has become both more difficult and easier at the same time. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the animals, as many species are now endangered. Their determination, however, becomes easier through the use of the Internet. Do not take any caterpillars from nature for identification. Protect the rare species with a photo. In the case of nature conservation butterflies - which is the case for the majority - it is forbidden to take them from the wild.