Some people think caterpillars are extremely cute tiny creatures, while others are terrified of them. However, few people know how amazing and beautiful the world of caterpillars really is.

These larvae undergo one of the most incredible transformation processes in the world of wildlife, communicate using the most unexpected body parts and are capable of emitting nicotine fumes!

In our list you will also find details about how caterpillars manage to subjugate ants, move in space, and see a larva that Donald Trump himself copies (Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States).

10. Portable body armor

More recently, in Peru, scientists discovered a new species of caterpillars, which they nicknamed hermit crabs for their habits, which are very reminiscent of the behavior of these arthropod creatures. No one had ever seen simple caterpillars behave exactly like this before. The new kind has the habit of making himself a kind of protective suit, reminiscent of a portable cage or body armor. The fortification is woven directly from leaves, which this creature has learned to roll into a tiny roll. The caterpillar climbs into its cocoon of leaves and moves through the forest using its mouth and forelimbs, dragging its protective suit with it everywhere. While the larva obtains food for itself, its body remains under the protection of the leaf cocoon. The clever creature even provided a special recess in the center of its body armor, which allows it to quickly turn around inside this protective structure if the caterpillar suddenly needs to urgently get out of the twisted sheet through the “back door.”

9. Amazing camouflage

What types of camouflage do caterpillars resort to in order to protect their soft bodies from animals and insects that are not averse to feasting on these small creatures? Some caterpillars look like bird droppings, others have bright spots that look just like snake eyes, and there are also larvae that have learned to imitate their poisonous relatives, which is why predators prefer to avoid them.

However, among all this soft-bodied brethren, there is one type of caterpillar that has absolutely unique abilities. The larva of the moth of the species Synchlora aerata camouflages itself in a rather inventive way - for camouflage it uses pieces of petals and other parts of the plants on which it feeds. This caterpillar decorates its back with leaves using sticky saliva, and when its colorful costume wears out, the animal tears off its old disguise and starts all over again.

8. Jumping caterpillar

In the forests of South Vietnam, caterpillars wrap themselves in leaves, like a sleeping bag, to begin the pupation process. And a species called Calindoea trifascialis has even learned to jump on the ground right in such a leafy cocoon, and he does this to hide from the sun's rays. To jump, this larva rests its abdominal pairs of legs on the bottom of its "sleeping bag" and pushes itself back, jumping in the opposite direction from its head.

The caterpillar can jump like this for almost 3 days until it finds itself appropriate place in order to begin the final transformation into a butterfly. When Professor Chris Darling began studying these little yellow larvae in 1998, he and his students noticed that the hopping creature was secreting a strange liquid. Not every sane person would think of licking such a caterpillar, but Chris did it! He did not feel any special taste, but soon his tongue became numb, which, according to the professor, was a consequence of the protective system of the larva, which used its chemical weapon against him.

In the laboratory, the scientist found out what kind of liquid he licked, and it turned out to be an unpleasant-smelling mixture of hydrocarbons and hydrocyanic acid produced by the body of the insect. The smell of this poisonous liquid fills the caterpillar's homemade cocoon and scares off ants and other voracious predators, which otherwise would not fail to sink their teeth into the protein-rich body of the larva.

7. Caterpillar with a hat

And this larva is the future moth of the Uraba lugens species, but before its legendary phase of transformation into a winged creature, it lives an equally amazing life. On her head it is easy to notice a process in the form of an eccentric horn. This strange part of the caterpillar’s ​​body is actually a “hat” of its old head capsules, which it throws off during each new molt. Each time the caterpillar sheds its old skin, it shifts its old head shell onto the very top of the new and now larger head, thus creating a new level of amazing crown over and over again.

During its life, the Uraba lugens larva molts about 13 times before final pupation, so sometimes a real tower of old body parts can be built on the head of such a caterpillar, which can be even larger than the larva itself. Why exactly she does this is still unknown, but for some time researchers assumed that the unique headdress of this creature was a kind of security system. Perhaps the horn distracts the predators, and they attack the empty head capsules, while the real caterpillar just manages to escape.

This theory sounded quite plausible for some time, until scientists conducted a series of experiments showing that both caterpillars without hats and larvae with horns, caught in a Petri dish along with the insects feeding on them, coped with the task of self-defense almost equally. They probably just like to put their own heads together...

6. Musical maestros in the world of insects

It turns out that there is a species of caterpillar that has developed a highly organized method of communication. For example, some larvae have learned to talk to each other using the back of their body. Scientists from Carlton University, Canada, have discovered that birch silkworm caterpillars have special anal processes that they use to scrape leaves to signal their relatives.

This is not the only method of communication that these larvae practice. Birch silkworms have also learned to shake their bodies and drum their mouthparts (mandibles) on the surface of leaves, allowing them to produce a range of different sounds and signals to other caterpillars in their community. As soon as one caterpillar begins to scratch and shake the leaves, its other fellows perceive this as a signal for a general gathering and crawl in the direction of the signal until they all gather together in one common group.

Researchers have not yet figured out what each type of signal means individually, and some scientists even believe that these caterpillars do not actually communicate with each other. But evolutionary biologist Jayne Yack has a different opinion: "I've studied insect sounds for over 30 years, and I've never seen an insect produce so many different calls." The caterpillars probably use all these sounds and vibrations to form social groups.

5. Poisonous nicotine breath

One of the favorite snacks of the tobacco hawk moth caterpillar is extremely toxic tobacco leaves. This plant contains a toxic substance (nicotine), which it uses as a defense against herbivores, otherwise the animals would have destroyed this species long ago. But the tobacco hawk moth not only happily feasts on these leaves, which are toxic and even lethal for some animals, but has also learned to use tobacco as a personal weapon against other predators. The caterpillar redirects nicotine from its digestive system into the hemolymph (the equivalent of the bloodstream in the insect world). The hawkmoth larva then opens small pores in its skin (spiracles) and releases toxic fumes. Biologists call this process protective halitosis (the medical term for halitosis). When poisonous fumes are directed at predators such as wolf spiders, they save the caterpillar from being attacked and becoming someone's tasty morsel.

4. Hawaiian carnivorous caterpillars

On the Hawaiian Islands live carnivorous caterpillars that lie in their shelters all day long and wait for an unsuspecting victim to treat themselves to its meat. For example, caterpillars of the species Hyposmocoma molluscivora will not eat plant foods, even when dying of hunger. This small larva grows to only 8 millimeters in length, but despite its tiny size, it manages to eat whole snakes alive, attacking them from its secluded ambush. To prevent the snake from escaping its fate, Hyposmocoma molluscivora chains its victim to the leaves with a silk thread, just like spiders spin a real cocoon of webs around small insects. The caterpillar then climbs into the silk trap containing the captive snake and slowly eats the victim directly alive, leaving only the empty shell of the snake.

Hyposmocoma molluscivora is the only species of caterpillar that feeds on snakes, but its uniqueness does not end there. It turns out that this larva is so far the only known full-fledged amphibian of its kind. It is able to survive both on land and underwater, although researchers still do not understand how exactly it manages to breathe in an aquatic environment. Daniel Rubinoff, a professor at the University of Hawaii, believes that this caterpillar has a special respiratory organ that scientists have not yet noticed, or that it breathes through skin pores adapted to process oxygen underwater.

Another species of carnivorous caterpillar lives in Hawaii, and these are the larvae of flower moths (Eupithecia), which look just like a small clawed hand waiting for its chance to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. These masters of camouflage stretch their bodies along the leaves, pretending to be harmless stems, and freeze until the unfortunate victim approaches them. But when its turn comes, in the blink of an eye the flower moth slams its body shut and grabs the surprised prey with its clawed legs.

These are just two examples of as many as 18 species of carnivorous caterpillars found in the Hawaiian Islands. wild nature this region is truly amazing!

3. Caterpillar overlords and slave owners

The caterpillar of the Japanese blueberry butterfly of the species Arhopala amantes has an incredible and even almost sinister security system against spiders, wasps and other predatory insects from its range. These larvae have learned to take innocent ants into virtual slavery, forcing them to become their warlike bodyguards. They manage this with the help chemical substance, which the caterpillars secrete as sugar droplets through their skin onto the surface of the grass. The ants are attracted by the sweet smell of this liquid, and once they taste it, they never return to their native anthill, forget about food and do not dare leave their new owner, the sinister caterpillar-lord Arhopala amantes.

The larva of this butterfly has even learned to give orders to attack - when it unfolds its small antennae, its subordinate ants become especially aggressive and attack any insect approaching them. Professor at Kobe University, Japan, Masuru Hojo, believes that glandular cells in the area of ​​the caterpillar's antennae secrete a special chemical, which is perceived by enslaved ants as a signal to attack strangers. “It is possible that both the visual and chemical cues stimulate ant aggression,” Hojo suggests. Ants that have not tasted the caterpillar's sweet secretions do not react in any way to the waving of its antennae. The Japanese professor is inclined to believe that the power of the larvae of the Arhopala amantes species depends entirely on their secret chemical weapon, with which they manipulate the ants that have tried their “potion.”

2. Floating entrails and soft-bodied robots

You've probably noticed how unusually the caterpillars move. In motion they resemble tiny waves. However, what happens inside them during this bizarre crawling deserves a separate discussion. Did you know, for example, that the guts of a larva are one step ahead of the rest of its body? Biologists at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences came to this conclusion when they x-rayed tobacco hawk moth caterpillars to better understand how they move.

Taking an X-ray of a crawling caterpillar is a rather difficult task, if only because these creatures do not have bones. That's why biologist Michael Simon and his team placed test specimens on a tiny homemade caterpillar treadmill and illuminated their insides with a special particle accelerator from the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. Researchers found that internal organs the caterpillars move independently of its outer shell and even outstrip its limbs. “The movement of internal tissues caused by general locomotion (the scientific term for moving from place to place) is observed in many organisms, but caterpillars appear to move using a two-part system, including an outer shell and enclosed innards. This mechanism explains the amazing freedom of movement of these soft-bodied sliders,” says Michael Simon, the first author of the study on this topic, who published his work in the British scientific journal Current Biology. This unique form of crawler locomotion is called “visceral locomotive pistoning”.

You might wonder why it was so important for scientists to know what happens to the insides of butterfly larvae as they move from place to place. It turns out that research into the crawling mechanism of caterpillars can be very useful for the development of soft-body robots, which may subsequently become very popular in the transport industry. In July 2010, Professor Simon explained to LiveScience that "one of the main advantages of a soft-shell robot is its ability to move delicate loads such as electronics, fragile instruments and chemicals." A rigid-frame robot has a hard shell, while a soft-body vehicle can be deformed in all directions without damaging its contents.

Citing his team's research into the amazing propulsion system of caterpillars, Michael Simon reminded us all that "the world is still full of opportunities for new discoveries in even the simplest and most mundane things and places."

1. Caterpillar soup and imaginal discs

We all know that caterpillars spin cocoons to protect their chrysalis from the outside world while it goes through the wonderful process of becoming a butterfly or moth. A pupa is essentially a hardened shell, inside which the caterpillar prepares for the most important changes in its life. Initially, this shell grows just under the top layer of the larva's skin. When this outer skin falls off, the chrysalis (pupa) emerges. At first, this chrysalis is quite soft to the touch, but then it hardens to protect the larva while it is in the process of pupation. And from this moment the most interesting and unusual thing begins: once in a fairly hard protective cocoon, the caterpillar secretes special digestive enzymes that destroy its body into a real soup. The larva literally dissolves and digests itself, but some of its extremely important tissues remain intact. These are called imaginal discs.

What is this all about, you ask? To answer this question we will have to go back to the very beginning - to the time when the caterpillar was still a small egg. As the unhatched larva develops, it grows special clusters of cells inside its body (the same imaginal discs). Each such disk represents different part body into which it will eventually turn when the caterpillar becomes a butterfly or moth. Each wing, eye, antenna and leg has its own separate imaginal disc.

Once the pupated caterpillar has digested and turned most of its body into a liquid soup of organs, leaving only its imaginal discs floating in the mixture, these clusters of cells use the liquid environment around them as fuel to quickly form the organs of the future adult butterfly or moth. The entire process of transformation from the egg stage, larvae and until the emergence of the adult is called holometaboly.

It would seem, after everything described, what even more extraordinary could happen in the lives of these creatures? However, researchers have recently discovered that at least some species of moth retain memories of laboratory experiments in which they took part as caterpillars.

So evolutionary ecologist Martha Weiss placed a tobacco hawk moth larva in a small Y-shaped tube. One of the sections of this tube led towards the area that smelled of ethyl acetate (a pungent odor), and the other - to clean air. Caterpillars that chose a move that smelled of ethyl acetate were beaten electric shock, after which 78% percent of them preferred to avoid areas with the smell of this chemical in the future. A month later, when the caterpillars turned into adult moths, they were faced with exactly the same choice. 77% of moles reliably avoided tubes that smelled of ethyl acetate. According to Martha Weiss, this proves that during the most significant restructuring of the body, which is the transition from the pupa to the stage of an adult insect, these animals somehow retain the areas of the brain responsible for the memories of the caterpillar.

Bonus! Every caterpillar's worst nightmare

Bonus-2! Caterpillar-Trump

This funny little ball of yellow hair is a caterpillar of a butterfly of the megalopygid family. WITH recently Joking researchers who discovered this caterpillar in the Amazon forests of Peru began to call the shaggy creature “Trumpapillar” for its striking similarity with the hairstyle of American President Donald Trump. These caterpillars actually come in quite a variety of colors, including white, pink, and red.

The hairs covering the body of the larva are very similar in properties to the fur of a tarantula. In addition, they are covered in tiny poisonous spines, contact with which causes a painful rash. This self-defense mechanism turned out to be so effective that it can even serve as a clear example of Batesian mimicry in the case of the chicks of the Amazonian bird, the gray aulia. Its young look almost identical to this toxic caterpillar, which serves them well when it comes to camouflage from the carnivorous inhabitants of the Amazon.

When the chicks of the aulia feel danger, they even begin to move like megalopygid larvae, so that the predator (local snakes and monkeys) is afraid of an unwanted collision with the poisonous trampapillar larva.

Structure

Caterpillar body structure

	head breast abdomen body segment abdominal (false) legs spiracle (stigma) pectoral (true) legs mandibles
The general structure of the body of a caterpillar, as an example Macroglossum stellatarum.		Caterpillar body structure

Head

The head is formed by a dense capsule fused from six segments. Often, areas of the head are conventionally identified, occupying a relatively small area between the forehead and eyes, called the cheeks. On the underside of the head is the foramen magnum, which in most cases is heart-shaped.

Based on the position of the head relative to the body, it is customary to distinguish the following types:

• orthognathic- the longitudinal axis of the head is located more or less perpendicular to the axis of the body, the oral organs are directed downward. This type is characteristic of almost all large caterpillars that live openly on plants (club lepidoptera, hawkmoths, corydalis, cocoon moths, bears and others).
• prognathic,- the longitudinal axis of the head coincides with the axis of the body, the oral organs are directed forward. This type of head arose as an adaptation to a mining lifestyle. It is typical for Eriocraniidae, Stigmellidae, Phyllocnistidae and a number of other families. The head of this type is strongly flattened and is distinguished by the absence of a parietal suture. The overall shape of the head is usually heart-shaped.
• semiprognathic- occupies an intermediate position between the first two types, characteristic of secretive caterpillars.

Caterpillar jaws

The typical head shape is round. Sometimes it can undergo changes - acquire triangular (many hawk moths), rectangular ( Catocala) or heart-shaped. The frontal surface becomes flat or even depressed. The parietal apices can protrude significantly above the surface of the body, sometimes turning into large horns or outgrowths ( Apatura, Charaxes) .

The eyes are represented by separate ocelli located on the sides of the head. They lie close to the oral organs and in most cases are located in the form of an arched row of five simple ocelli and one standing inside this arch. In some cases, their primitiveness or, conversely, specialization is observed. So, the New Zealand caterpillar Sabatina the eyes consist of five simple ocelli fused to form a compound eye.

The antennae are short and three-segmented. They are located on the sides of the head, between the eyes and upper jaws in the so-called antennal cavity. In some cases, the antennae undergo reduction - the number of segments decreases.

The upper jaws, or mandibles, are always well developed and represent highly sclerotized, strong formations that vary significantly in shape. Gnawing type. The apical edge of the mandibles usually bears teeth used for biting or cutting food. On the inner edge there are sometimes tubercles used for chewing food. The lower jaws (maxilla) and lower lip (labium) are fused, like in many other insects with complete transformation, into a single labio-maxillary complex. The salivary glands are modified into silk glands.

Chest and abdomen

The body of the caterpillar, possessing extreme mobility, is enclosed in a soft membranous cover. The sclerotized areas are the tergites of the prothorax and the 10th abdominal segment. Each caterpillar segment can be divided into a number of secondary rings, separated by grooves, which are in no way different in appearance from the actual boundaries of the segments.

The pronotum (prothoracic shield) very rarely occupies the entire tergite, and in most caterpillars a small sclerite is separated from it, located in front of the spiracle (stigma), called the prestigmal shield, on which setae IV, V and VI sit. The meso- and metanotum are never completely sclerotized, and their lateral sections are always divided into several separate sclerites. The tergites of the abdominal segments are always divided into several sclerites associated with the primary setae and usually corresponding to their number.

The anus on the last segment is surrounded by 4 lobes. Not all of these lobes can be well developed at the same time. The upper one, the supranal lobe, hangs over the anus. The lower, sub-anal lobe is often presented in the form of a thick conical fleshy lobe; a pair of lateral or anal lobes - paraprocts - are usually well developed in moths and corydalis in the form of rather large outgrowths with setae at the end.

Almost all caterpillars belong to the group with one closed stigma (spiracle) on the chest. The exception is certain species leading an aquatic lifestyle. Their stigmata are closed and are replaced by tracheal gills.

The chest bears only one open, functioning stigma. The second reduced spiracle is located between the mesothorax and metathorax. The thoracic spiracles are usually larger than the abdominal ones. The abdomen on segments 1-8 bears eight pairs of stigmas located below the thoracic stigma and more or less in the middle of the segment or somewhat closer to its anterior edge. The stigma of the 8th segment is located above the other abdominal segments and is larger than them, while the stigma of the 1st segment, on the contrary, lies somewhat lower than the others. The shape of stigmas can be round or oval.

Limbs

A caterpillar hanging on a silk silk. Three pairs of thoracic and five pairs of abdominal legs are clearly visible.

Most caterpillars have three pairs of thoracic legs (one pair on each chest segment) and five pairs of false abdominal legs on abdominal segments III-VI and X. The abdominal legs bear small hooks, located differently in different groups of Lepidoptera - in the form of a circle, longitudinal or transverse rows. The leg consists of five segments: coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus.

The thoracic legs of caterpillars are to some extent reduced in comparison with truly walking legs, and the function of locomotion is carried out mainly by the abdominal legs. At the end of the chest paw there is a claw motionlessly articulated with it, which can have different lengths and shape. The final part of the ventral leg is the sole, which can retract and protrude and bears claws at its distal end.

There are two types of sole structure:

In different groups of butterflies, deviations from the described variant of the arrangement of the legs are described. The best known are moth caterpillars, most of which have only two pairs of abdominal legs (on segments VI and X). As a result, moth caterpillars move as if “walking.” Russian name, like German (German. Spanner) comes from the similarity of the movement of the caterpillar with the movements of the hand of a person measuring length with a span. Latin name family of moths - Geometridae(from the Latinized Greek “surveyor”) was also given by him in connection with this feature. It is less known that the abdominal legs can be reduced on abdominal segments III and IV in the caterpillars of some cutworms ( Noctuidae).

Hypsipyla grandela Dangerous pest from Brazil

Some caterpillars have been described to have more than five pairs of abdominal legs. In toothed moths ( Micropterigidae) - eight, megalopygid ( Megalopygidae) - seven (from II to VII and on the X segment), one of the genera of dwarf miner moths ( Stigmella from the family Nepticulidae) - six (from II to VII segments) pairs.

In addition, the legs (both abdominal and thoracic) can be completely reduced in small leaf miners.

Body coverings and their appendages

The body of a caterpillar is almost never completely naked; it is covered with various formations, which can be divided into cuticular outgrowths, hairs and body outgrowths.

Cuticular outgrowths are sculptural elements and small outgrowths of the cuticle: spines, granules, stellate formations, which may have the appearance of small hairs - chaetoids.

Hairs, bristles and their derivatives differ from sculptural elements in their articulation with the cuticle and development due to special cells of the hypodermis. The base of the hair is surrounded by an annular ridge, or the hair is located in a recess. Conventionally, hairs are divided into hairs themselves and bristles, the latter being stronger. The hairs are very different in shape. In most cases, they are presented as thread-like or bristle-like formations.

Body skin outgrowths are formations consisting of skin protrusions and having a cavity inside that communicates with the body cavity. These include tubercles - various formations associated with primary setae. A wart is a protrusion covered with a tuft of bristles or hair; warts can be spherical or, conversely, flattened and oval, often very large, for example, in Lymantriidae. The characteristic outgrowths are represented by spines.

In rare cases, aquatic caterpillars develop tracheal gills on their bodies. They are usually present on all body segments (except for the prothorax and the 10th abdominal segment) in the form of bundles of delicate filaments with trachea entering into them. Stigmas in these cases are closed.

The soft cuticle of caterpillars is folded and does not fit tightly to the body, so they can grow between molts, but only until the cuticle folds stretch and the caterpillar’s ​​body fills the entire volume of the exoskeleton.

Physiology

Nutrition

Most caterpillars are phytophagous - they feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. Some species feed on lichens or fungi. A number of species - keratophages - feed on wax, wool, horny substances (caterpillars of moths of the genus Ceratophaga live in the horns of African antelopes, feeding on keratin). A few species are xylophagous - glass beetles and wood borers. Caterpillars of some species are predators, feeding on aphids, scale insects, larvae and pupae of ants. Caterpillars of some species are characterized by oligophagy - feeding on a very limited number of plant species. For example, polyxena caterpillars feed on only four species of plants of the genus Kirkazon, and caterpillars feed exclusively on mulberry leaves. In addition, the caterpillar eats the shell of its egg immediately after hatching, and then other eggs that it comes across.

The digestive tract is connected to the rest of the body only at the anterior and posterior ends, due to which, probably, the movement of the rest of the body does not interfere with the caterpillars digesting food.

In the digestive tract of caterpillars, there are three main groups of digestive enzymes - proteases, carbohydrases and lipases.

Silk formation

Spinning machine

The spinning apparatus consists of the spinning papilla and the sclerite that carries it. The spinal papilla is a tube, the upper wall of which is usually shorter than the lower one, the end edge of which is uneven. The edges of the papilla are sometimes framed with fringe. The silk duct passing through the papilla opens at its distal end. In very rare cases, for example Microplerygidae and some miners, the spinous papilla appears to be absent.

The papilla is extremely variable in shape and length among representatives of different groups. There is a close connection between the structure of the spinning papilla and the silk-secreting activity of caterpillars. Caterpillars entwining their passages, for example Hepialidae and the majority Microfrenata, have a long, thin and cylindrical spinal papilla. On the contrary, a short and flattened papilla is found only in caterpillars that do not weave cocoons or whose silk-secreting activity is limited, for example, in hawkmoths, many cutworms and miners.

Some features are observed in the development of the silk-secreting glands of caterpillars. In the last 4 days of the caterpillar's life, when it is still feeding, the gland develops very quickly and reaches its maximum weight in a short time. A day after the start of cocoon weaving, the weight of the gland sharply decreases, and then continues to decrease further, until the caterpillar finishes weaving the cocoon. Cells that produce silk synthesize it, apparently due to accumulated substances. In the oak silkworm, the weaving of the cocoon depends on the humidity of the surrounding air - so in an atmosphere with high humidity, the caterpillars do not weave a cocoon.

Chemical composition and structure of silk

• caterpillars leading a free lifestyle, openly feeding on food plants;
• caterpillars leading a hidden lifestyle.

Bagworm caterpillar cover ( Psychidae), attached by mulberry to a cereal leaf before pupation.

Caterpillars of diurnal, or club-whiskered, butterflies, as well as most other large Lepidoptera, live openly on food plants. Caterpillars of many families of moth-like lepidoptera lead a secretive lifestyle: in the soil, litter or turf of cereals (often in silk tunnels); inside food plants, mining leaves, shoots and fruits; making various cases that the caterpillar, crawling, drags behind itself (bagworms are most famous for this ( Psychidae), but wearing covers is much more widespread). Caterpillars of very few species live in water, feeding on aquatic plants.

All caterpillars are able to secrete silk. Most use it to attach to the substrate when moving. A caterpillar crawling along a plant or soil constantly leaves behind a thin silken path. If she falls from the branch, she will remain hanging on a silk thread. Caterpillars of some families of moths and moths build tunnels (silk tunnels) from silk. Anyone who has seen the damage caused by the caterpillars of real moths to fur or wool products has noticed silken passages in the undercoat or on the surface of knitted items. Bag makers and some others use silk thread as the basis for making a portable case. Caterpillars of ermine moths and some corydalis build mulberry nests on food plants. In some families, for example, cocoon moths, peacock moths and true silkworms, the caterpillar builds a silk cocoon before molting onto a pupa.

Ecology

Migrations

Caterpillars of the pine silkworm

Symbionts

In a number of species, caterpillars live in anthills, being in a symbiotic relationship with ants, for example, with the genus Myrmica .

The caterpillars of approximately half of all blueberry species ( Lycaenidae) are somehow connected in their development cycle with ants.

Caterpillars of leaf miners Phyllonorycter blancardella live in symbiosis with bacteria that secrete cytokines, these hormones stimulate plant cell division, prolonging photosynthesis, and the resulting “green islands” allow the insect to survive the winter.

Gallery

Opodiphthera eucalypti.

Schizura concinna.



Malacosoma disstria



Malacosoma californicum

Monarch butterfly caterpillar ( Danaus plexippus) on leaves of Asclepias incarnata in a Lancaster, Pennsylvania garden.



Hebomoia glaucippe, resembling a green snake Ahaetulla nasuta.

Caterpillars in culture

In literature

To the cinema

• The caterpillar is the heroine of the Russian cartoon "Gagarin" (1994).
• The Caterpillar (Blue Caterpillar) is the heroine of the 1972 musical film “Alice in Wonderland” (original title “Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland”), produced in Great Britain.
• The caterpillar is the heroine of the American cartoon “The Adventures of Flick” (1998).
• Caterpillar (Green Caterpillar) - the heroine of a French cartoon Minuscule (2006).

Economic significance

The species whose caterpillars produce silk are primarily useful to humans. In nature, silk is produced by the caterpillars of many butterflies, constructing cocoons from it. The textile industry prefers ( Bombyx mori), domesticated by humans. Also used in sericulture are the Chinese oak peacock eye ( Antheraea pernyi), which has been bred in China for more than 250 years. Silk is obtained from its cocoons, which is used to make chesuchi. Other types of silkworms do not develop well in captivity, so they are limited to collecting their cocoons in nature. plays an important economic role in silk production. To obtain silk thread, the pupae are first killed using hot steam and water on the tenth day after pupation. A silk cocoon usually contains up to 3,500 meters of fiber, but it can be unwound by barely a third. To get 1 kilogram of raw silk, you need cocoons of about a thousand caterpillars, which eat 60 kilograms of leaves in a month and a half. From 100 kg of cocoons you can get approximately 9 kg of silk thread. Today, 45,000 tons of silk are produced annually worldwide. The main suppliers are Japan, the Republic of Korea and China.

Dried silkworm caterpillars infected with fungus Beauveria bassiana, used in Chinese folk medicine.

Caterpillars of some species can be used in weed control. The most striking example is the cactus moth, specially brought to Australia in 1925 from Uruguay and the northern regions of Argentina ( Cactoblastis cactorum) helped get rid of the introduced prickly pear cactus, which had overgrown millions of hectares of pastures. In 1938, in the Darling River valley, Australian farmers erected a special monument to the caterpillars who saved Australia.

Notes

1. Large encyclopedic dictionary "Biology". - ed. M. S. Gilyarova, M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 1998. ISBN 5-85270-252-8
2. Vasmer M. Etymological dictionary of the Russian language. - Progress. - M., 1964–1973. - T. 1. - P. 477.
3. Boryś W. Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego. - Wydawnictwo Literackie. - Kraków, 2005. - P. 158. - ISBN 978-83-08-04191-8
4. Gerasimov A. M. Caterpillars. - 2nd. - Moscow, Leningrad: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences, 1952. - T. 1. - (Fauna of the USSR).
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Moth butterfly caterpillars cause great harm to garden and vegetable crops, eating everything in their path. Due to their appearance, they are difficult to detect and due to their characteristics, their second name is land surveyors. The article discusses the appearance of caterpillars, what they eat and how to fight them.

Surveyor caterpillars or moths:

What does it look like?

Land surveyor caterpillars are thin and long, have a camouflage color and are very difficult to detect due to the fact that the color depends on the plant on which they live and feed.

Also, there are practically no villi on the body of these caterpillars, and when the moths freeze in one position, stretching either to the side or upward, they become practically indistinguishable from twigs. This way they camouflage themselves from birds. They are helped to take this position by their highly developed muscles and a pair of strong abdominal limbs.

Like all caterpillars, the body of these pests consists of segments. The peculiarity is that their abdominal limbs, located on the 7th and 9th segments (false legs), are not developed and the caterpillar moves, so as if measuring the surface with a span:

• Strengthens the thoracic limbs;
• Bends in a loop;
• Moves the false legs towards the pectoral legs;
• Then it clings with these thoracic limbs;
• Pulls the body into the forehand position and attaches itself again with the chest.

Another adaptation of the pest is that they are attached by a thread to the surface on which they crawl and if, for example, a caterpillar is blown away by a gust of wind, it rises back along this thread.

Varieties of caterpillar

There are more than 23,000 species of moths. The most common in Russia and the CIS countries are:

• Winter moth. A transparent caterpillar with a greenish tint, which has one dark longitudinal stripe along the back and three lighter lateral stripes. It has five growth stages and four molts. It pupates in June in the soil under a tree, and in August butterflies emerge from the pupa, which cannot fly and climb up the tree.
• Pine. It has a green color and five lateral white lines. Pupates in late autumn in the litter under a tree.
• Gooseberry moth. Light caterpillar with yellow and black splashes.
• Ripped off. Has brown or yellow. A lateral yellow stripe runs down the body, and brown spots may be present.

Surveyor:

What plants are affected?

These moth butterfly caterpillars eat all the plants in a row. As for the above types, then they love to eat:

• Coniferous plantings. This is a favorite delicacy of the pine moth, which eats pine needles from July to October.
• Gooseberry, currant and other garden bushes. This is the food of the gooseberry moth.
• Berry and fruit trees are devoured, stripped, and moths.

Struggle

To combat these pests, the following measures are used:

1.Biological:

• The enemies of moths are parasitic insects and tahina flies. They eat moth caterpillars. Therefore, it is necessary to create conditions for attracting and breeding beneficial insects. They can be attracted by nectars from the seeds of the umbrella family (carrots, celery, dill, etc.);
• Treat plants in the spring before flowering with bacterial insecticides;
• Attracting sparrows and tits to the garden.

2.Agrotechnical:

• Digging the soil at a depth of 15 cm in August to destroy winter moth pupae;
• Loosening the surface layer of the earth from mid-September;
• Autumn collection and destruction of leaves.

3.Mechanical;

• In September, place trapping paper belts coated with special glue on the trunks of bushes and trees. This will help catch female butterflies and at the end of November it is necessary to remove the device and burn it;

Dropping the caterpillars in the morning onto the fabric placed under the plant and further burning the pest.

4.Chemical:

• Treatment with a solution of oleocuprite and DNOC in the spring before the snow completely melts;
• Preparation No. 30;
• Before flowering, spray with a solution of karbofos or arsenic.

Land surveyor caterpillars are quite harmful and difficult to detect, but when you notice that the plant is being eaten, you need to begin pest control measures.

Today we will continue this topic and talk about the most dangerous caterpillars that can be found in Russia.

I immediately hasten to reassure you a little, in our country there are no deadly poisonous caterpillars, such as, for example, Lonomia obliqua, and death from their poison does not threaten us. However, in our homeland there are caterpillars that should be treated with at least caution! After all, their poison-soaked hairs can cause quite a bit of trouble!

The video version of the article can be seen here (the text is continued below):

PINE WALKING SILKWORTH

Pine silkworm (Thaumetopoea pinivora)- earned its name thanks to its love for collective travel, and it also loves pine needles, which it feeds on! In June, the silkworm moves mainly along pine branches and needles, huddling in groups when it gets colder, but towards the end of July - beginning of August it goes on a journey. Lined up with their relatives in long rows, literally marching along the earth, asphalt and other surfaces to get to a suitable, sandy place. After which they pupate by burying themselves in the sand.

Looking at the lifestyle of the traveling pine silkworm, it becomes clear that it can most likely be found among young pines, with less sandy soil. As the caterpillars grow older, they become more dangerous, and the caterpillars' outfit also changes. The hairs from the small fluff develop into a lush outfit, which, however, a completely mature caterpillar grinds, as it were, into special depressions in the body. As a result, dust from hairs is formed, causing itching and burning when it comes into contact with the skin and mucous membranes of a person! It’s not like touching here, it’s not recommended to be near such caterpillars!!! An allergic reaction from flying hairs invisible to the eye can manifest differently in different people! Usually, inflammatory processes are observed in the attacked areas of the skin; it becomes covered with red blisters that itch irresistibly! When it comes into contact with the face, the picture is most often accompanied by swelling, and the eyes may become swollen and closed. The inflammatory processes themselves can last for several weeks! If you are unlucky enough to develop an allergic reaction, you should consult a doctor immediately!

Pine silkworm caterpillar

OAK SILKWORTH

Oak silkworm (T. processionea)- a relative of the comrade described above, just as dangerous, somewhat different appearance and lifestyle (feeds on oak leaves)!

Oak silkworm caterpillar

Goldtail

Caterpillar Goldentail (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)(gilded or golden silkworm) also has poisonous hairs! Distributed throughout almost all of Europe, including Russia. Loves orchards and parks, where it is most often found! It is dangerous because, if touched, it can cause various inflammatory processes, rashes or scars on the skin. Breathing problems are also possible, and if hairs get into the eyes, conjunctivitis can occur.

Goldentail caterpillar

RED TAIL

Redtail (Calliteara pudibunda) or whatever they call itShy paw, may have different colour“fur” (lemon, pink, brown, gray) but it always has a constant reddish tail in the back. The caterpillar is not capable of causing any serious damage, however, you should still not touch it with your hands, unless, of course, you want to get an allergic reaction in the form of a rash! Prefers oak forests and is found throughout Eurasia, except the far north.

Redtail caterpillar

© SURVIVE.RU

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We all know firsthand that nature creates masterpieces that at first glance seem completely unusual and even partly cosmic. There are more than enough examples of this among representatives of the world's flora and fauna. In particular, toothed pato fish, water deer with fangs, bald cats, anteaters with huge trunks, California condors (birds that are impossible to look at without tears), drop fish, reminiscent of characters from a science fiction film with horror elements. The list of natural phenomena is endless.

Incredible species of caterpillars that exist side by side with humans

Today I would like to talk about which subsequently turns into a beautiful creature - a butterfly, at least this is written about in all encyclopedias about wildlife and the world around us. So, we will talk about caterpillars with horns and their features, which, judging by the name, should not be so few. Looking ahead, I would like to note that such caterpillars are characteristic of many species and they even pose a certain danger to smaller insects, and some to humans. But be that as it may, such representatives of the flora cause only delight in those who look at them, because they are incredibly beautiful and divinely beautiful.

An inhabitant of Russian latitudes, who is often mistaken for an alien

Of course, at the very beginning I would like to talk about those types of large green caterpillars with horns that live in our country. The most common larva of the hawk moth and all its subspecies. For example, linden hawk moth. Its larva is a fairly long caterpillar. Sometimes it reaches 10 cm in length. Its color, unlike other caterpillars with horns, is quite calm and not particularly attractive. Most often, this insect is light beige or light brown in color with a white abdomen, on which there are horny growths, which are nothing more than the rudiments of the insect’s legs. They are quite hard and tenacious to the touch; thanks to these properties, the caterpillar can easily move along tree trunks. In rare cases, linden hawk moth larvae can be bright green or black with brown speckles. Whatever color There are caterpillars; they always have a sharp, hard spike on their tail, which many take for a horn, confusing the insect's head with its tail.

Ocellated Hawkmoth

Speaking about butterflies that hatch from the pupa of the hawkmoth caterpillar, it should be noted that all representatives of the family of these unusual insects are considered quite rare, and many of them are listed in the Red Book. Their extermination may entail serious consequences and is prosecuted by law. For example, by the way, its larva is one of the most unusual: green with white stripes, located symmetrically relative to each other. This is a large green caterpillar with a horn on its tail that is pale blue in color. Speaking about the larva of the ocellated hawk moth, it must be said that the thorn of these insects is not at all for beauty, but for protection from annoying small brothers: ants and small bugs. It is something like a sting, which, like wasps, contains poison (acid) that affects the enemy. For humans, the “weapon” of the hawkmoth caterpillar does not pose any danger.

Dead Head

Another prominent representative of hawk moths living in Russia, which is worth mentioning separately, is the dead (Adam's) head butterfly. Her caterpillar is incredibly beautiful. It is large, bright green, monochromatic or with variegated spots scattered over the body. The spike on her tail is the same color as her coat. But a coal-black butterfly with bright brown spots hatches from such a miracle. In general, this species resembles in its color the king of the savannah - the leopard. The death's head hawk moth is, without a doubt, more beautiful than the kinglet and several times larger. Now, having encountered any of the larvae described above in your garden, the attentive reader should not have a question about what the caterpillar with a horn on its tail is called.

Poisonous caterpillars

In our country there are not many representatives of horned caterpillars, probably due to the harsh and cold climate, but on other continents, where it is practically warm all year round There are plenty of such beauties. By the way, there is an opinion regarding the colors of insects that brighter color caterpillar, the more beautiful the butterfly will hatch from it. And also, if the larva is too beautiful, then you should definitely be wary of it. The striking color warns of the poisonous nature of the insect. At the very beginning of the conversation about foreign caterpillars with a horn on their tail, photos of which can be seen in the presented material, I would like to discuss the poisonous species.

The hoary caterpillar is a beauty that you should not touch

The most poisonous caterpillar in the world is simply extraordinarily beautiful: a brown head with pronounced light green “glasses” and body, and on its back a brown diamond shape reminiscent of a horse’s saddle. Of course, thanks to this attribute, this larva is called saddleback. On the head and tail of the poisonous caterpillar there are two impressive horns, completely covered with sharp spines. It is they who pose a huge danger to everyone who decides to touch an unearthly creature that enchants the eye. By the way, if you look at the hoary caterpillar from above, it is impossible to make out where its head is and where its tail is, as it looks poisonous insect absolutely symmetrical.

This miracle of nature lives in North America; it can be found mainly on deciduous trees. Just like the other caterpillars with a horn on their tail discussed above, this species contains poison in its appendage. However, if nothing happens when you touch the hawk moth, then when you touch the poisonous caterpillar, a person will feel discomfort, as if he had been stung by a bee. The consequences can be unpleasant: nausea, vomiting, headache and a rash at the site of contact. Symptoms last up to two days.

The “scorching rose” does not grow in the garden, but eats it

Another beautiful caterpillar that lives overseas and poses a certain danger to people is the “stinging rose.” It received its name not for the single horn on a very small body (only 2.5 cm), but for the poisonous thorns abundantly located on it. If you touch it, you are guaranteed to experience serious skin irritation. Distinctive feature This green caterpillar with horns has longitudinal orange and black stripes, as well as bright red and yellow spots on the body. Looking at it, it becomes clear why scientists classify the most beautiful and unusual insects as especially dangerous.

The most beautiful caterpillar in the world

Since we have already examined the most poisonous caterpillar in the world, we would now like to contrast it with the most beautiful and harmless one - the monarch larva. It is worth saying that even the name of this large caterpillar with a horn speaks for itself. A truly royal creature immediately appears, enchanting with its beauty and pleasing to the eye. Its main color is white and, if not for the bright yellow stripes on its back, the caterpillar would look like a zebra, because it is also completely covered with black thin stripes. She has three pairs of horns: two on her head, two on her tail and the same number in the middle of her body. They are located symmetrically to each other.

It is one of the most famous butterflies in North America. It is easily recognized by the characteristic pattern on its wings: black stripes located on a red background. The wingspan of the Danaid reaches 10.2 cm. This is one of the few insects that flies across the Atlantic Ocean during migration. In Russia, the species is found in the Far East.

The largest butterfly in the world hatches from a caterpillar with horns

In Asia (in China, Vietnam, on the islands of Java and Borneo) real giant butterflies live. Their wingspan reaches 27 centimeters. The females of this species are much larger than the male. The situation in the insect world is not unique; sexual dimorphism is observed very often. It is called the beautiful giant peacock-eye atlas. The color of its caterpillar is completely unremarkable: pale flesh-colored, and sometimes gray. A mandatory attribute is numerous horns on the body. However, the larva produces a spectacular and bright butterfly. It is noteworthy that she has no developed oral apparatus at all. The imago does not feed and lives off the resources accumulated during the larval stage.

Black always goes with white - a rule that even nature follows

Probably, many have heard about the next caterpillar with horns, but not everyone has seen such an incredible beauty created by nature. We are talking about a swallowtail larva. The adult is bright yellow with four eye-shaped round black spots on the wings. Who would have thought that, being a caterpillar, the swallowtail is not bright. On the contrary, the larva is completely black with horns of the same color located throughout its body. However, in the later stages of caterpillar development, just before pupation, the black color of the body is diluted by numerous contrasting white spots.

Summarizing what has been said

In fact, there are a great variety of caterpillars with horns in nature. There is simply no point in listing them all in one article, because the text can turn out to be as long as the well-known masterpiece of the Russian classic “War and Peace.” We introduced you only to the brightest and most unusual larvae, which nature has awarded with one or more horns. I would like to say that without exception, all caterpillars endowed with this attribute use it as self-defense. They deftly take advantage of the moment, curling up into a ball during danger, and then sharply throw their tail and horn towards the enemy. Remember that nature created caterpillars to be admired, not to be experimented on or destroyed.