The majority of caterpillars have twelve eyes, six on either side of their head. A few species have between ten and fourteen eyes instead. These species are largely more primitive forms, which also have other features that mark them out…
Caterpillar poop is often called frass and usually comes in the form of pellets. These pellets are typically dropped on the ground near the caterpillar. However, some species fire them out as far as they can to avoid attracting predators.…
Parsley contains many chemicals designed to put off pests. However, some caterpillars, such as the black swallowtail caterpillar, have found a way to have their cake and eat it. The parsley arms race Few gardeners would be thankful for the…
The cocoon of a caterpillar is made of strands of silk, woven together into various forms. Sometimes caterpillars include other materials, such as leaves, twigs or dirt. They help to camouflage the caterpillar as it turns into a pupa and…
Most caterpillars are safe to handle, but some have irritating hairs or even dangerous toxins, which can causes rashes or even more severe injury. Gloves should be used, and the skin protected. The good, the bad and the ugly We…
There are around 17,500 species of butterfly in the world and 160,000 species of moth. This means most caterpillars will turn into moths, though many still turn into butterflies. Sometimes the larvae of sawflies are also called caterpillars. Monarch butterfly…
