Black caterpillar with spikes and white dots

Biology of butterflies

The body of butterflies is thick and fluffy, with wide wings, on which there is sometimes an eye-shaped spot.
Peacock eyes are large insects. For example, the Hercules peacock eye, or Coscinocera hercules, living in Australia, has a wingspan of up to 280 millimeters, and the Russian pear peacock eye, or Saturnia pyri, has a wingspan of up to 150 millimeters. All Saturnia caterpillars are similar in appearance, they are large and covered with long bristles or warts with spines or hairs, through cavities in which poison from the glands is injected into the body of the victim. All of them produce toxins that cause skin irritation to protect against natural enemies, but the Lonomia obliqua caterpillar is the champion among them.

This greenish-brown caterpillar looks quite impressive, the length of the adult larva is about 7 centimeters, and its entire body is covered with branched spines similar to spruce paws. Its distinctive feature is a white spot on its back, similar to the letter U.

Fortunately, the dangerous period when Lonomy caterpillars pose a threat lasts only 2-3 months. They then pupate and become butterflies.

What is the classification of butterflies

There is a huge variety of bear butterflies, even from the photo you can see pronounced differences.

The bear butterfly Kaya is one of the most famous of this family. You can find it in Europe, Asia, America. The size reaches seven centimeters. The upper part of the wings is brown and has an asymmetrical pattern. The hind wings are orange with dark spots.

The she-bear caterpillar Kaya is very beautiful. The lower part of the body is colored brown, while the upper part is black. At the same time, it is densely covered with hairs.

This representative is distinguished by the coloring of its wings. The upper wings have three light stripes, while the hind wings are red and have black spots. It is found most often in European countries, in the southern regions. Prefers forest edges, clearings, and deciduous forests.

Butterflies emerge from pupae late, at the end of July - in August. A distinctive feature is also the fact that they feed exclusively during the day. The modern pace of human life has led to the destruction of the habitats of the bear Hera, which leads to a decrease in the number of insects.

Gloomy Trans-Caspian bear

This is the largest butterfly of this family. Its wingspan reaches 10 centimeters. But these are not all the features of this amazing insect. The fact is that, unlike traditional butterflies, these prefer to fly among rocks and even love caves. But the grim bear caterpillars, on the contrary, live and pupate in the steppes with a different set of grasses.

Lady Bear

Radically different from the previous type. The wingspan does not exceed 5 centimeters. But at the same time she is extraordinarily beautiful. The upper wings are painted in dark colors with contrasting spots. The lower ones are bright, orange or red with dark, almost black spots.

The insect is found in Southern and Northern Europe, as well as in the Caucasus. It feeds in humid regions, loves clearings, deciduous forests, and mixed-grass slopes.

Black and yellow bear

The size of the butterfly reaches seven centimeters. Prefers the forests of Colombia and Brazil. Differs in the color of the wings. There are no stains on them. They are painted in two colors, most often black and gold.

Red-spotted bear

Smaller butterflies. The wingspan reaches five centimeters. Found in Europe, Africa and Asia. The butterfly feeds on flowers growing in meadows. It is extremely difficult to find her in other places.

Purple Dipper

The insect is found in Europe and Asia and prefers temperate climates. Settles in fields sown with heather. The size of the butterfly reaches 4.5 centimeters. The wings are yellow with clearly defined brown spots. The hind wings are orange.

Swift Dipper

Can be found in Africa, Europe and Asia. Prefers forests, both coniferous and mixed. There are black dots on the white wings. The wingspan is up to 5 centimeters. Activity is observed in June-July.

In this video you can see bear caterpillars and butterflies:

There are other types, but these are the ones that are more common in the world. Similarities among them can only be noticed by carefully studying each one. Externally, they are radically different from each other.

Potato cutworm caterpillar, photo and description

The color of such a caterpillar is inconspicuous, it is gray with a violet or lilac tint, and not shiny. Females lay eggs in the soil for the winter, the development of which continues with the onset of spring warmth.

The first caterpillars appear in April and begin to feed heavily. The harm from them stops only in July.

The distribution range of this species is:

Russia;
CIS countries;
Europe;
China;
Middle Asia.

Potato armyworm caterpillars eat the leaves of the following plants:

weeds;
potato;
raspberries;
corn;
strawberries;
tomatoes;
flower crops.

Potatoes suffer greatly from them. Caterpillars not only skeletonize leaves, but can penetrate inside the stems and gnaw out internal tissues there. Such stems either rot or dry out. When the tubers appear, the larvae move onto them, greatly deteriorating the quality of the crop.

What do caterpillars eat?

The hatched caterpillar first devours the shell of the egg in which it developed, and then proceeds to its main diet.

Most caterpillars are herbivores (phytophages) and feed on green mass and fruits of plants. According to the food supply, caterpillars are divided into 4 types:

polyphagous - indiscriminate caterpillars that eat any vegetation, for example, the caterpillars of most moths;
oligophages prefer plants of a certain family or genus. For example, swallowtail caterpillars eat only umbrella plants;
Monophages consume a single type of vegetation. Thus, silkworm caterpillars feed only on mulberry leaves;
xylophages do not eat anything except wood, and constitute a small variety of caterpillars - mainly glass beetles and wood borers.

The transitional form is considered to be a variety of caterpillars that eat lichens and tinder fungi. This category includes representatives of the genus of true moths. For example, the granary moth caterpillar thrives on poisonous ergot.

A few species of caterpillars are keratophagous by nature and eat elements of animal origin: horny substance, hair, wool and skin. Prominent examples are the caterpillars of furniture, carpet and clothes moths. Caterpillars of true moths eat only wax, and bee moths eat honey.

Predatory caterpillars are the smallest group: most cases of predation occur when the population density is high and there is a lack of usual food. For example, cotton bollworm and bear moth caterpillars are carnivorous and attack their own kind, weakened and diseased caterpillars.

Caterpillars of the narrow-snouted and raspberry moths, as well as the sun moth, which feed on scale insects, are considered natural predators. Predatory blueberry caterpillars eat aphids, and moth caterpillars are exclusively insectivorous and are distinguished by a rich set of hunting devices for catching their victims.

There are species of caterpillars that live in symbiosis with ants - for example, some varieties of blueberries. These caterpillars live in the anthill and control the behavior of ants by chemical means, secreting a special sweet liquid, or by acoustic means, making special sounds that attract ants.

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Types of caterpillars

3. Stinging rose caterpillar (Parasa indetermina)

The “stinging rose” caterpillar reaches a length of only 2.5 cm and is distinguished by its bright colors

But besides its yellow and red spots, what attracts the most attention are its spiny tubercles protruding from different sides. The tips on these tubercles, as one might guess, release poison

If you touch one of them, the ends will break off and you will experience skin irritation.

The tips on these tubercles, as one might guess, release poison. If you touch one of them, the ends will break off and you will experience skin irritation

4. Spiny oak slug caterpillar ( Euclea delphinii)

)

This caterpillar is not that dangerous to humans, although touching it will still cause a rash

. This is due to the spiny tubercles located on the back and sides.

As a rule, these caterpillars live on oaks, willows, as well as beech, cherry, maple and other deciduous trees.

5. Caterpillar of the black bear (Tyria jacobaeae)

Some caterpillars become toxic through the plants they eat. And this applies to the caterpillars of the mole bear, which feed on poisonous ragwort.

They eat so much of this plant that in New Zealand, Australia and North America they are used to control the growth of ragwort. This plant is fatal to cattle and horses and poses some health hazard to humans.

If you are susceptible to caterpillar hairs, touching them can cause hives, atopic asthma, kidney failure and cerebral hemorrhage

Common Dipper / Tyria jacobaeae

This species acquires toxicity as a result of eating a poisonous plant - Jacobea vulgaris. The ability to eat plantings of a poisonous plant is widely used by farmers in Australia and New Zealand to destroy a dangerous weed.

Because of the red coloring of her body, she is also called the Bloody Bear. The caterpillar eats the plant and becomes poisonous itself. They are not dangerous to humans, but pose a threat to birds that eat them.

A small number of these butterflies, and, consequently, caterpillars, were discovered in the Mozhaisk district of the Moscow region. Over the past 40 years, there has been a decline in the number of this butterfly species, which is why many states have adopted laws to protect the species.

Poisonous caterpillars - description, types and photos

Among the caterpillars there are quite poisonous specimens, so a bite from such a caterpillar or accidentally touching it can cause unpleasant sensations. Typically, such contact results in pain at the site of contact, redness and swelling of the skin, and less commonly, an itchy rash may appear. There are frequent cases of drowsiness, headache, gastrointestinal upset, increased blood pressure and temperature. In a word, do not be deceived by the bright and spectacular appearance of these creatures - sometimes they are dangerous.

The most famous poisonous caterpillars, ready to defend themselves from enemies and protect their food from attacks with the help of a “poisonous cocktail,” include:

Coquette caterpillar (lat. Megalopyge opercularis)
Saddle caterpillar (lat. Sibine stimulea)
Caterpillar “stinging rose” (lat. Parasa indetermina)
Spiny oak slug caterpillar (lat. Euclea delphinii)
Caterpillar of the black bear (lat. Tyria jacobaeae)
Traveling silkworm caterpillar (lat. Thaumetopoea pityocampa)
Hickory bear caterpillar (Lophocampa caryae)
Lazy clown caterpillar (lat. Lonomia obliqua)
Saturnia Maya caterpillar (lat. Hemileuca maia)
Volyanka caterpillar (lat. Orgyia leucostigma)

The poisonous coquette caterpillar (lat. Megalopyge opercularis) is an insect that looks quite cute and resembles a miniature furry animal. However, this caterpillar is one of the most poisonous caterpillars found on the North American continent and Mexico. The color of the “fur coat”, under which the poisonous spines are located, varies from light gray to golden or red-brown. The length of the caterpillar does not exceed three centimeters, the width of the body is 1 cm, but even such modest dimensions make it very dangerous. After contact with an insect, within a couple of minutes, acute throbbing pain and noticeable redness of the skin, even bruising, appear at the site of contact. Later, painful enlargement of the lymph nodes, shortness of breath and chest pain occur.

The saddle caterpillar (lat. Sibine stimulea) is a bright green caterpillar, both ends of the body are brown, the middle of the body has a brownish spot enclosed in a white edging, which gives this area a resemblance to a saddle. The length of the caterpillar, which lives in North and South America, is 2-3 centimeters; two pairs of fleshy appendages are equipped with stiff hairs, which contain quite strong poison. The prick of these furry stings causes severe pain, swelling of the skin, rash and nausea that lasts for several days.

The poisonous “lazy clown” caterpillar (lat. Lonomia obliqua) is an insect that lives en masse in Uruguay and Mozambique and has the most powerful natural toxin known today. The caterpillar can reach 6-7 centimeters in length, has a greenish-brown color, and accumulates venom in its spruce-shaped shoots. It loves shade, so the caterpillar usually lives in the foliage of trees, but often moves into residential courtyards. As a result of contact with this insect, painful hemorrhages appear on the skin; the caterpillar's venom can affect internal organs, causing renal colic, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, pulmonary edema and even nervous system disorders.

Appearance and anatomy of an insect

Caterpillars are not an independent group of numerous representatives of the fauna. These are larvae of representatives of the order Lepidoptera. Answering the question whether a caterpillar is an insect or not, we can unequivocally answer that yes, because this is a certain, that is, the larval stage of its development. Butterflies are distributed almost throughout the planet, especially in places where flowering vegetation grows. It is very rare to find insects in cold latitudes, as well as deserts and lifeless highlands. Not too many butterflies live in temperate climate zones.

The biology of the caterpillar is complex and diverse

To determine the type of insect, first of all you need to pay attention to its color, body size, number of limbs, length and thickness of hairs, feeding habits, as well as other specific features. Depending on the variety, the length of the pest ranges from a few mm to 12 cm

The body of an insect includes: a head, 3 thoracic and 10 abdominal parts with legs located on them.

Caterpillar structure

The caterpillar's head consists of 6 parts fused together, resulting in a dense capsule.

The area between the eyes and forehead is conventionally called the cheeks. In its lower part there is a hole, which in its configuration is similar to a heart.
For most insects, a round shape is typical. However, some varieties have triangular, rectangular or heart-shaped heads.
Caterpillars, like other insect larvae, have a primitive brain. The parietal regions can protrude significantly above the surface of the body, forming a kind of “horns”.
On the lateral surfaces of the organ there are miniature antennae.
Looking at the structure of the caterpillar, it is clear that all insects are distinguished by their gnawing mouthparts. They have well-developed upper jaws, which are equipped with teeth that allow them to gnaw and tear food. Inside the oral cavity there are tubercles with which insects chew food. The salivary glands are a specific spinning machine that allows the silkworm to form a thread. The lower jaws and lip are fused into a single complex.

The insect larva has 5-6 pairs of eyes and one lens. They are arranged in an arcuate manner or are combined into one complex organ consisting of five simple eyes. The first one is inside the arc.

Caterpillar

The body of most species is soft, enclosed in a membranous covering. This provides the insect with good mobility. Fauna lovers are quite often interested in the following question: how many muscles does a caterpillar have? Biologists claim that the larval muscular corset has 4,000 muscles, of which 250 are located in the head. The anus is located on the last part of the body, surrounded by special blades. The caterpillar (except for waterfowl) has one spiracle located on the chest.

Her body is almost never completely naked. It always has growths such as specific outgrowths, hairs, cuticles, which are formations in the form of cones or granules. The hairs on the body of an insect are arranged in a special way, corresponding to the genus or species of the larva.

Caterpillars have protective mechanisms in the form of easily detachable hairs that irritate the skin. There are poisonous caterpillars that secrete a burning liquid or accumulate poison in their bodies.

Chemicals

Measures to combat caterpillars
There are methods and techniques for dealing with cutworm caterpillars, which have already proliferated heavily on plants in the garden or garden. To do this, they use chemicals containing deltamethrin: Biorin and Super Fas, which will allow you to quickly and effectively get rid of pests. However, treatment should be carried out every 3-7 days, taking into account the different times when larvae emerge from eggs.

Another group is drugs from the neonicotinoid group: Aktara, Comfidor, which are intended to combat leaf-eating insects and larvae. They have a systemic long-term effect, poisoning pests through the green parts of plants and fruits.

In autumn, when digging up the soil, it is recommended to add hexochlorane powder (12%), which is scattered directly over the surface and then dug up.

Swallowtail - Queen of Butterflies

It’s hard not to notice such a butterfly! Swallowtail attracts attention with its large size and bright color. The butterfly got its name from the name of a mythological doctor who participated in the Trojan War. A special feature of the swallowtail is the “tails” up to 10 mm in length on the hind wings.

Swallowtail is found all over the world: in Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa. The butterfly population in the middle zone suffers from fires and trampling of meadows. The species is listed in the Moscow Red Book.

The bright swallowtail caterpillars resemble fantastic creatures. Immediately after birth, they begin to feed. In the Moscow region, insects prefer umbrella crops: hogweed, carrots, parsley, fennel and dill. If a caterpillar gets into a garden bed, it can quickly destroy the above-ground parts of the plants. But this happens extremely rarely, because... The swallowtail practically does not fly to summer cottages.

How to deal with swallowtail caterpillars. Carefully remove them and take them outside the site, planting them on some kind of umbrella crop. Be careful, the “horns” of the caterpillars secrete a caustic liquid, so it is better not to pick up the insect with your hands, but tear it off along with a piece of the plant on which it sits.

Danger of caterpillars

It is not known what exactly toxic substances are contained in these thorns, but we know the consequences of contact with them. In almost all cases, people experience severe redness and swelling at the site of contact with the thorns. Some people also experience severe headache, fever, nausea, rapid heart rate, cramps and abdominal pain. As you can see, there is nothing good about contacting them.

Luckily, most caterpillars are harmless.

In some cases, contact with hairy caterpillars can land you in the hospital. In 2021, one of these caterpillars fell from a tree onto a 5-year-old girl, Adrie Chambers. The girl's arm went numb and she was taken to hospital where she was treated with steroids. In May 2021, one woman spoke about the consequences of her 5-year-old son stepping on a poisonous caterpillar. Such incidents happen almost every year, but this year there are clearly many more of them. However, this is not surprising - 2021 will shock us with might and main.

Caterpillars often get on clothes when falling from trees.

There are no such poisonous caterpillars in Russia, but if they appear or you ever go to the USA, you need to be prepared to encounter these creatures. The first thing to do after coming into contact with a hairy caterpillar is to stick a strip of tape to the skin and quickly tear it off. This way you can quickly get rid of poisonous thorns. If ailments occur, of course, you should not self-medicate. After all, we already know very well that most folk recipes do not bring any benefit? So, if you come into contact with any poisonous animal or plant, it is best to go to the hospital as soon as possible.

It is important to note that cat moth caterpillars are far from the only ones of their kind. Throughout Europe, as well as in Kazakhstan, Siberia and other regions of our planet, you can stumble upon the caterpillar of the female bear (Arctia caja)

Most often you can come across them from September to May. These black caterpillars with long hairs can sting with caiine spikes. When contacting them, humans and other mammals experience so-called lepidopterism. This is the name for skin irritation that causes severe itching.

Peacock's eye - the most picturesque butterfly of the middle zone

This butterfly will not leave any summer resident indifferent! The insect will decorate any flower garden and its offspring will not cause any harm to the garden. The round spots on the front and hind wings of the butterfly are very reminiscent of the spots on the tail of a peacock. With the help of such a cunning device, the peacock's eye often confuses birds that would like to feast on the butterfly.

The peacock eye caterpillar is not so noticeable, although its black spines can also scare off enemies. Black caterpillars live in large colonies of up to several dozen individuals. They mainly prefer to eat nettles, thistles or hops, and less often – willow and raspberries.

How to attract a peacock eye. These butterflies are excellent pollinators. To attract them to the garden, plant flowers in shades of red, pink, orange or yellow in your flower bed. And also plant some nettles in the area.

How to control peacock eye caterpillars. An invasion of caterpillars can damage the raspberry tree, but if in the spring you treated the plantings with insecticides as standard, do not worry about the safety of the crop. It is easier to remove pest colonies manually.

Steps

Part 1

Provide a suitable living environment

1
Take a suitable container.
The hairy caterpillar can be safely housed in a clear plastic or glass jar. The jar must have a lid so that the caterpillar does not escape. You can also use a cardboard box instead of a jar.

Make several small holes in the lid or take a lid with ready-made holes. The holes are necessary to allow air to enter the jar.
2
Place a twig in the jar.
Read also: 5 proven ways to fight moles from our readers
The caterpillar will need a branch to build its cocoon. Insert a small branch into the jar containing the caterpillar. The branch should lie diagonally so that the caterpillar can climb onto it when it wants to spin a cocoon.
3
Clean the jar regularly.
The caterpillar will leave droppings in the jar daily. It needs to be cleaned regularly. Remove the caterpillar from the jar and remove the droppings with a napkin.
4
Keep the jar outside.
The hairy caterpillar requires a cold environment to grow. Store the can in a safe place outside your home. A safe place for caterpillars can be a garage or shed near the house.

Part 2

Feed the caterpillar

1
Place the plant on which the caterpillar was found in the jar.
Caterpillars prefer plants that are familiar to them. Pick a few leaves and plants from the area where you found the caterpillar. Put them in a jar.
For example, if you find a caterpillar on a tree in the garden, pick a couple of leaves from that tree.
2
Feed the caterpillar leaves.
It is very beneficial for caterpillars to eat leaves. If you find a few leaves on the ground, take them and bring them into the house. Scatter them across the bottom of the jar or box containing the caterpillar. Both green and already dried leaves are suitable for this. The caterpillar needs to be fed leaves every day.
3
Place flowers and grass.
Caterpillars also eat flowers and grass, so pick some from outside your home. For good growth of the caterpillar, plants such as dandelions, grass, plantain and burdock will be very useful. Provide the caterpillar with fresh flowers every day.
4
Spray the jar regularly with water.
Hairy caterpillars do not need a container of water, especially since they can drown in it. However, the jar with the caterpillar must be regularly sprayed with water. Spray the bottom of the jar with a spray bottle every day. Thanks to the tiny drops of water, the caterpillar will not suffer from dehydration.

Part 3

Release the caterpillar

In winter, add fallen leaves to the jar. When winter comes, add fallen leaves to the jar with the caterpillar. They will serve as warm housing during the cold winter months. The caterpillar will eventually build a cocoon, but this will not happen until spring.

It is very important that the caterpillar does not freeze in winter. 2. Bring the jar or box with the caterpillar into the house when it builds a cocoon.

Bring the jar or box containing the caterpillar into the house when it builds a cocoon.

In the spring, the caterpillar will stop moving and remain on the branch. After a while she will build a cocoon. When this happens, the jar with the caterpillar can be brought into the house. This will allow you to better see the butterfly inside.

Feed the butterfly when it is born. Before the butterfly emerges from the cocoon, place a few more twigs and fresh leaves in the jar. Since the butterfly will remain in the jar for several more days, it will need these food sources.

Release the butterfly after two days. Watch the butterfly for a couple of days after it emerges from the cocoon. Take a closer look at her and watch how she eats leaves and grass. If you have children, this will be a great learning experience for them. However, after a few days the butterfly will have to be released into the wild in the same place where you found it. For a butterfly, unlike a caterpillar, life in a box will not be as comfortable.

Varieties (types) of caterpillars

Cabbage butterfly. This type is the most common. The larvae most often parasitize cabbage leaves. This is a green hairy caterpillar, its body length does not exceed 4 centimeters.

In addition to cabbage leaves, the insect eats the following crops: radishes, turnips, horseradish. The duration of stay in the caterpillar stage is from 2 to 5 weeks.

Moth. This is a brown caterpillar that resembles a small twig in appearance. What do caterpillars of this species eat: tree needles, currant and raspberry foliage.

Redtail. This is a brown or gray hairy larva that eats the leafy mass of green plants - apple trees, plums, rowan, hornbeam, oak.

Peacock eye. It is large in size and green in color. It feeds on fruit trees: apple, pear, plum, cherry.

Clothes moth. Eats natural fur and furniture coverings. You can also often find a small white worm in bags of flour and corn grits.

Characteristics by which the larvae of different butterflies are classified:

nature of nutrition;
nocturnal or diurnal lifestyle;
habitat;
the structure of various parts of the body;
availability of protective devices.

According to the position of the head relative to the body, caterpillars are divided into several types:

orthognathic (the longitudinal axis of the head and the axis of the body form a right angle);
prognathic (the longitudinal axis of the flattened head continues the axis of the body);
semiprognathic (occupies an intermediate position).

The first type is the most common, the second is typical for species with a mining lifestyle. They eat out passages and tunnels in the pulp of leaves and fruits. The third type includes caterpillars that live secretly.

According to the structure of the sole

The sole is the terminal part of the abdominal legs. It has hooks and a retractor muscle. With the help of these devices, the caterpillars can move along a vertical plane, upside down and in any direction. Based on their structure, there are two types of soles:

the hooks are located along the edge, and the retractor muscle is in the center;
hooks are present only on the inner side, and closer to the outer side there is a muscle, part of the outer edge is covered with keratinized tissue.

Swallowtail larva
Most caterpillars feed on various parts of plants. Depending on food preferences, they are divided into 3 groups:

polyphagous (can live and feed on different types of plants, for example caterpillars of moths);
oligophages (feed on several related plant species: the swallowtail larva loves dill, fennel, parsnips and other umbelliferous plants);
monophages (their body is adapted to process only one type of plant: the silkworm feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves).

However, plants are not the only source of nutrition for small voracious creatures. Some of their varieties eat wood (xylophages), mushrooms (bagworm larvae), honey or beeswax (moth larvae), wool and leather (moth larvae).

Secretive species prefer to live in a secluded place, out of public view. As a rule, such caterpillars have a nondescript color and are not armed with protective outgrowths.

Habitat of secretive caterpillars:

soil (underground caterpillars);
water (underwater caterpillars);
leaves twisted in a special way (leaf rollers);
pathological growths on stems or leaves (gall formers);
pulp of fruits (codling moths), roots;
wood (xylophages).

Cabbage butterfly. This type is the most common. The larvae most often parasitize cabbage leaves. This is a green hairy caterpillar, its body length does not exceed 4 centimeters.

In addition to cabbage leaves, the insect eats the following crops: radishes, turnips, horseradish. The duration of stay in the caterpillar stage is from 2 to 5 weeks.

Moth. This is a brown caterpillar that resembles a small twig in appearance. What do caterpillars of this species eat: tree needles, currant and raspberry foliage.

Dipper black and yellow

This is a large bear (Epbestris melfntba), with a wingspan of up to 7 cm, and lives in the tropical forests of Colombia and Brazil, as well as in the equatorial regions of South America. The wings and abdomen of the butterfly are bright, but not variegated, and instead of the usual numerous spots, they are simply painted in two colors - black and golden yellow; after all, the Greek word melfntba means “black-golden-yellow.”

Red-spotted bear

The red-spotted bear (Utetheisa pulchella) is a relatively small species, found in southern Europe, Africa, Central and South Asia. The butterfly got its name from the bright pattern on its wings. This rather rare species is mainly found in meadows.

Ursa Hebe

This species lives in the steppe zone and has a wide distribution area. Butterflies are found in central and southern Europe, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor, Mongolia, China and many other countries. On the territory of Russia, individuals can be found in Siberia, the Caucasus, Crimea, Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

Outwardly, it is a black caterpillar, on the body of which there is a large number of long dark gray hairs. On the sides these fibers have a more orange tint. They feed on dandelions, plantain, milkweed, millennial, and thyme.

Thus, the caterpillars of butterflies of the bear family are characterized by an unusual appearance, which helps them camouflage in different territories. To protect the caterpillars there are poisonous fibers. This allowed the individuals to maintain their populations. For agriculture, the gluttony of caterpillars poses a real danger and requires the use of additional measures to prevent eating crops.

Winter armyworm and measures to combat it

Winter cutworms develop in 2 generations. The last instar caterpillars overwinter in the soil at a depth of 20 cm. In the spring, they rise to the upper layers of the soil and pupate in small earthen burrows. In the second ten days of May, the flight of butterflies begins, which are also nocturnal.

A mechanical method of combating the caterpillars of the gnawing armyworm

Since the pest feeds at night, you will have to collect the caterpillars at the same time. No matter how inconvenient it may be, and maybe even funny, you need to go out in the dark with a lighting device and collect them. To kill the caterpillars, you need to pour half a bucket of water, add soap, and send all the collected individuals there. This work will have to be done throughout the summer season, a couple of times a week.

Biological protection of the garden from the armyworm

Various birds, frogs, fireflies and moles feed on cutworm caterpillars, but the latter are undesirable in the garden. To attract birds, you need to install several feeders on the site, and try in every possible way not to scare the birds away.

Entomophages help in regulating the population of all gnawing insects. At night, the caterpillars are eaten with appetite by ground beetles, and the eggs are damaged by Trichogramma and other riders.

Bird cherry infusion

It is often recommended to place bird cherry trees between rows of branches, but in a large garden this is very inconvenient, since you will need too many branches. To prepare the infusion you will need branches, a hammer, a large container and water. The branches need to be thoroughly softened with a hammer, placed in a container and poured with boiling water; it is best to leave for three days.

Tobacco dust, yarrow and wormwood are also not to the liking of cutworms. You can choose the amount of ingredients yourself; the most important thing in the infusion is the pungent smell. Plants should be watered with this infusion, poured directly onto the stem, at a height of up to 10 cm above the ground. The procedure must be repeated periodically, since plant essential oils disappear quickly.

Obstacles

To keep out the caterpillars, who mainly chew through plant stems, you can put barriers around the stems. The cardboards are soaked in a solution of tar soap and secured with a paper clip around the plant with a rim. However, this is not very convenient, since you will have to put a “fence” around almost every stem.

Biological products

For treatment against cutworms, a mixture of BTB and Lepidocide is also used as soon as signs of damage to the sprouts appear. The main thing is to do the treatment on time, since older larvae are more persistent.

Very effective predatory nematodes are Nemabact or “Protection” soil. This is a composite of a predatory nematode and a bacterium that is symbiotic with it. They work amazingly: the roundworm penetrates the larva with food or, excuse me, through the anus, and the bacteria decompose the insides of the pest from the inside. It turns out to be a kind of broth from the entrails, which is then eaten away by nematodes. After an empty shell remains, they leave it. Bacteria and beneficial nematodes take root well and live in open ground.

Site care and agrotechnical techniques

It was once believed that the number of pests could be reduced by deep digging to make it difficult for the caterpillars to overwinter. But, firstly, no one digs to such depth. And secondly, there is more harm from digging. Therefore, in the practice of natural farming, other agrotechnical techniques are used, namely:

If there is too much damage this year, this bed is covered with black agrofibre for the winter and until the end of June to make it difficult for the larvae to get out. If you have to resort to such a measure, fill the bed well with organic matter - over such a long period of time, the organic matter will rot well, and in the middle of summer it will be possible to plant beans, daikon, kale or any greens on it.
The bed can also be sown with perennial green manures of the legume family (comfrey, alfalfa) and not use it for a year. In the second winter, also layer it with organic matter and cover it with agrofibre so that the roots, tops and top layer are processed by earthworms.
You can plant annual flowers and/or green manure around the perimeter of the site, in which the female pests will lay eggs. Annuals bloom until autumn, and their natural entomophagous enemies breed here.

It will take a lot of time to fight the fall armyworm; rather, it all depends on the desire to get rid of this pest. Only by constantly monitoring the area will you be able to first reduce the number of individuals and then protect yourself from the pest more reliably. As for chemistry, it is hardly possible to eat onions after being treated with pesticides. It is better to choose a biologically safe drug or folk remedies to combat the winter armyworm.

Pest detection

The fragrant woodborer is found where poplar, birch, maple, willow and other trees with soft wood grow. Fruit trees also suffer from insects: in addition to apple trees, pears, plums, and cherries, insects damage nut trees and olives.

Usually the pest settles on weakened or lonely growing trees. Damaged plants after such residents weaken and are easily affected by fungal and bacterial diseases.

Due to the gnawed passages, young shoots dry out en masse and leaves fall off. This causes the fruit yield to sharply decline, and ornamental plants become unattractive. Weak trees are stunted and may dry out and die. Here are the consequences of what will happen to plants if you do not fight such a pest as the fragrant wood borer. Photos will help you understand better than any words how serious this “passenger” is.

The following signs will tell you that the woodworm has settled on the plants:

The presence of passages on the trunks. They are quite wide and oval in shape.
The appearance of drill flour. These are small sawdust that spill out from the gnawed passages. If the bark is damaged, the sawdust will be brown, and if the damage is deeper, its color will be yellowish.
Drying or detachment of the bark from the trunk.
The leakage of brown liquid mixed with pest excrement from holes in the tree. Moreover, the liquid will have a pungent odor.
Having inhabited one tree, the caterpillars crawl to a neighboring plant. During this period they can be seen on the soil surface.

The most effective way to combat the pest is to remove or destroy the larvae at a time when they do not emerge from under the bark of trees. For this purpose, mechanical, chemical or biological methods are used. Below are the features of each of them:

Mechanical destruction is the collection of larvae in those areas of plants where the bark has fallen away from the trunk or has died off altogether. To do this, you will have to do all the work manually, since no devices can be used so as not to damage the wood. The only thing you can do is wear gloves. After completing the work, you need to burn the collected larvae along with the peeled bark. Cover any damage found on the tree with garden varnish.
Chemical method. Involves the use of organophosphorus insecticides. This may be “Chlorpyrifos”, “Chlorophos” and others. You need to wet a cotton ball with any of the preparations, and then find the move that the caterpillars made and put the cotton wool inside. A more simplified option is to inject an insecticide into the holes made with a douche or syringe.
The biological method works best if the woodworm has settled in the garden. Control measures in this case consist of attracting birds to the garden. Of course, only those that feed on insects - magpies, woodpeckers, rooks, tits and many other representatives of birds happily eat pests, including the caterpillars of the odorous woodworm. In order for birds to settle in the garden, you need to think about this in the fall - hang up artificial nests, houses, feeders.

Trees favored by woodworms become sick, and may die if infested en masse. This happens rarely, but in order to prevent damage to fruit trees, the trunks are whitened with a special emulsion, which protects the bark from cracking and the introduction of larvae. The external openings of the passages are filled with cotton balls soaked in insecticide, or liquid is injected into the cavity. The hole is covered with garden varnish, a mixture of clay and slaked lime.

The trunks are mechanically cleaned of fallen bark and caterpillars. Damaged branches are cut off. If the tree is severely damaged, it is removed and the collected caterpillars are burned.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with what kind of screws for drywall

Some insect lovers grow woodworms at home because of the large and colorful caterpillars. Despite the fact that the willow woodborer is a pest, it is interesting to study it as one of the largest species of moths.

Tips and tricks

Unfortunately, none of the described means and methods of dealing with voracious aliens guarantees 100% deliverance from this scourge. It is best to prevent caterpillar attacks and eliminate the consequences of their invasion. These simple rules will help preserve your crops and garden:

Provide plants with proper care. If you don’t know how to monitor certain crops, don’t be lazy and read the specialized literature.
Try not to oversaturate the plantings, so that each plant is well ventilated and illuminated;
Carefully inspect new shoots and seedlings for disease and pest damage;
From time to time, weed the beds and loosen the soil;
Fertilize plants with organic and mineral fertilizers in a timely manner.

Following these rules will help keep your garden in excellent condition, which will delight you with a rich harvest.

Kaya bear

Another widespread group of bears is the Kaya bear. These butterflies are very beautiful, and they are one of the largest in Russia, their wingspan reaches 80 millimeters.

The female bear kaya has coffee-brown forewings with white bands. The red hind wings have large black peas with a blue tint.

Bear Kaya.

Kaya bears are found in late summer. The caterpillars are black and hairy. They appear in the fall and spend the winter. These caterpillars have a very thick covering of hairs, thanks to which they resemble furry animals. In times of danger, the caterpillar takes a protective position: it curls into a ring, thus protecting all its vital organs, and the body is reliably protected from enemies by thick poisonous hairs. When the caterpillars pupate, they hide under fallen trunks and stones and weave their cocoons there.

Breeding at home

For breeding butterflies, choose a spacious container with a lid through which oxygen will pass. Cover the bottom with sphagnum moss, under which soil is placed. The height of the flooring is up to 2 cm. A frequent guest of such insectariums is a fluffy caterpillar, the name of which depends on its appearance.

For example, if you have a black hairy caterpillar, what is it called, it is not difficult to find out. If there are yellow dots, it's a mistress. If not, it is most likely urticaria. The furry black and orange creeper belongs to the kaya. It is interesting to watch how a black furry caterpillar pupates; what kind of butterfly will appear in the end will essentially become clear after 8 months.

In order for the insect to hibernate, the temperature drops to +3/+6 °C. Before this, she is fed fresh leaves. Once the pupa emerges, access to light is limited until hatching. After the butterfly appears, cotton wool soaked in a honey solution is used for feeding. As a result, a bear butterfly will appear, the photo of which will become your pride.

kaya (lat. Arctia Caja)

Ursa

These butterflies owe their name to their caterpillars, which are covered with thick dark hairs. Adult insects also have a thick, hairy body. Dippers are butterflies of medium and large sizes, with a bright pattern on the wings and a thick, shaggy body. They also have short antennae and short legs. In total, about 11 thousand species of bears are known, and they live in Europe, Asia and America.

The Hera bear is named after the ancient Greek goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus, the supreme Olympian god of thunder. This butterfly lives throughout Europe, as well as in Western and Central Asia. You can meet her from early July to September. It is most active at night, but also often feeds on flowers during the day.

The giant leopard moth, or giant leopard moth, is really quite large for a butterfly, its wingspan ranges from 57 to 91 mm. And the color of this insect resembles a leopard, only not red, but white. It lives in the south and southeast of the United States, leads a crepuscular lifestyle, so that during the day it can only be found with its wings folded. It’s not for nothing that this butterfly is also called the giant moth.

Hidden "leopard"

The lady bear is found in Eurasia, including Russia. She prefers clearings and clearings in deciduous forests, bushes, ravines, and river floodplains. Over the past decades, due to human economic activity and habitat loss, the number of these butterflies has decreased, and they were taken under protection.

This lady is at risk of becoming homeless...

The spotted bear is found in Africa, Southern Europe, and also in South Asia up to Myanmar. In Russia it can be seen extremely rarely. But where it lives, this butterfly is found night and day, summer and autumn. After all, during this time she has three generations. The first of them flies in May, the second in July-August, and the third in September. In June, the spotted bear does not fly.

The dotted bear fully lives up to its name thanks to the unique coloring of its wings.

The bear kaya is one of the most famous butterflies in the bear family. It is found in Europe, Asia and North America. Kayas are distinguished by a variety of patterns on the upper side of their wings. Sometimes these differences are so strong that butterflies of the same species are mistakenly classified as different species. Nevertheless, kaya's hind wings are always bright, and when in danger, she opens them wide, scaring away enemies. And they have something to fear - after all, kaya’s hemolymph is bitter and poisonous. But the butterfly itself is harmless. She doesn’t even eat anything, because the structure of her mouth apparatus—the proboscis—does not allow her to do so.

Kaya bears come in completely different colors and sometimes appear to be representatives of different species.

Kaya bear on primrose

Do not touch!

The caterpillar of the bear kaya is hairy, like other representatives of this family. Her hairs, which she weaves into a cocoon before pupation, are poisonous, as is the hemolymph of the imago. Therefore, it is better not to touch either this beautiful caterpillar or its cocoon with your hands. Despite the poison and bright warning coloring, the caterpillar uses another method of defense - when in danger, it falls to the ground and pretends to be dead. When the threat has passed, the caterpillar climbs back onto the plant where it was previously feeding. And it feeds on a wide variety of greens and is found from May to September.

Kaya bear caterpillar

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Types of caterpillars

Types of caterpillars
Each type of butterfly has its own caterpillar. And the color of the larva does not always coincide with the color scheme of the adult. Caterpillars are mostly herbivorous, but there are also predators. There are four types of caterpillars based on their preference for plant foods:

polyphagous - those that eat any plants indiscriminately, usually the offspring of moths (wine hawkmoth, ocellated hawkmoth, blind hawkmoth, kaya bear, peacock eye, moths);
monophages - caterpillars that feed on one specific type of plant (cabbage, silkworm, apple moth);
oligophages - eat plants belonging to the same family or type (swallowtail, pine cutworm, polyxena);
xylophagous - larvae that prefer to feed on wood and bark (bark budworm, apple glass beetle, wood borer).

Various types of caterpillars in Russia can live in the subtropical regions of the Caucasus and Krasnodar Territory, and in the northern regions of Siberia. Hundreds of species of these insects are found throughout the country. The names of caterpillar species have a non-random origin. They are usually associated with the pests' main food source. Some caterpillars are named after the pattern on a butterfly's wings.

Valuable rare caterpillars, such as silkworms, are also found in Russia. Silking is a property inherent in all larvae. While moving around the plant, the caterpillar secretes a thin thread using a special spinning tube. This thread serves as insurance for the insect if it accidentally falls from the plant.

On the territory of Russia there live small caterpillars, 1 mm in size, as well as giant caterpillars, reaching a length of 12 cm. There are beautiful caterpillars, and there are inconspicuous species, hairy, poisonous, and even changing their color and size during the stage.

The most common and well-known representatives living in Russia include:

cabbage or cabbage white;
peacock eye;
moth (land surveyor);
clothes moth;
redtail;
hawk moth;
admiral;
Swallowtail

Butterfly larva

The birth of a butterfly is associated with a certain stage of insect development. After an adult has laid eggs in some secluded place, larvae emerge from them in the form of small worms. These worms are quite voracious creatures. They eat a lot of greens in order to move to another stage of development.

These larvae are called caterpillars. An insect can be a caterpillar for either several days or several years, depending on the species. Typically, each type of caterpillar eats a specific type of plant. They often become pests of any crops, fruit trees, berries, vegetables, fruits, etc. After a certain time, the caterpillar turns into a cocoon, which is called a pupa. Then an adult, called a butterfly, emerges from the cocoon.

Interesting to know! The larger the butterflies, the larger the caterpillars and vice versa.

All types of caterpillars may differ in size, development periods, colors, and habitats, but they all have the same body structure. The body structure of a caterpillar consists of:

From a well-defined head of regular round shape, oral apparatus, visual organs and horn-shaped antennae.
Breasts.
Abdominal section.
Several pairs of limbs.

Subspecies

Cossus cossus cossus
Cossus cossus albescens
Kitt, 1925 (Kazakhstan, Russia)
Cossus cossus araraticus
Teich, 1896 (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Iran)
Cossus cossus armeniacus
Rothschild, 1912 (Turkey)
Cossus cossus chinensis
Rothschild, 1912 (China: Shaanxi)
Cossus cossus dauricus
Yakovlev, 2007 (Russia: Transbaikalia)
Cossus cossus dersu
Yakovlev, 2009 (Russia: Primorsky Krai)
Cossus cossus deserta
Daniel, 1953 (Mongolia)
Cossus cossus gueruenensis
Friedel, 1977 (Asia Minor)
Cossus cossus kopetdaghi
Yakovlev, 2009 (Turkmenistan)
Cossus cossus kossai
Wiltshire, 1957 (Jordan, Iraq)
Cossus cossus lucifer
Grum-Grshimailo, 1891 (Tibet)
Cossus cossus mongolicus
Erschoff, 1882 (Mongolia)
Cossus cossus omrana
Wiltshire, 1957 (Iraq, Iran)
Cossus cossus tianshanus
Hua, Chou, Fang & Chen, 1990 (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan)
Cossus cossus uralicus
Seitz, 1912 (Uralsk)

How to save butterflies?

Variegated butterflies Callimorphadominula have become one of the many victims of human economic activity. Their numbers are declining everywhere, in some regions they remain in single copies, and are included in the Red Data Books of the regions as a rare species. Protective measures to preserve the number of insects are being taken in 20 regions of the Russian Federation. The lady bear butterfly is also included in the appendix to the Red Book of Russia.

There are several reasons for the decline in butterfly numbers:

Burning grass in the forest-steppe habitat.
Reducing the area of biotypes suitable for life and reproduction - wet meadows with forbs, forest edges.
Removing fallen leaves in which the insect overwinters.
Isolation of local populations, making it difficult for the species to spread to new territories.
Grazing of livestock, uncontrolled haymaking, direct destruction of butterflies.

Among the protective measures taken to preserve the species are regulation of recreational load, control of grazing and haymaking in forest clearings. In the habitats of the female bear, regulated use of insecticides is introduced. It is of great importance to identify new habitats of butterflies and take them under protection.

Our planet is full of exciting mysteries. And it often happens that a person encounters objects or living organisms whose existence he had no idea about. And if earlier you had to turn to encyclopedias for answers, today Internet users will be happy to give answers to all questions.

Danger of caterpillars

Luckily, most caterpillars are harmless.

Caterpillars often get on clothes when falling from trees.

American white butterfly

Bear caterpillars are nocturnal. They build spider nests for themselves and live there in small colonies. At night, individuals leave the nests and go in search of food. When morning comes, the caterpillars return to their nests. This lifestyle continues until they grow up. Stronger individuals are able to survive alone.

On a note!

Its homeland is North America, from which individuals migrated to the territory of modern Europe. Today this species can be found in Ukraine, Turkmenistan, southern and western parts of Russia and also in many regions of the Middle East.

Poisonous caterpillar

The unusual caterpillars were described in the scientific publication Science Alert. We are talking about the so-called cat moth caterpillars (Megalopyge opercularis). They are very common in the southeastern and central parts of the United States, as well as Mexico. They were not particularly found in Virginia, but in 2021 their numbers suddenly increased. In Russia it is impossible to stumble upon them, but lately the world has become unpredictable. No one really expected to see these creatures in Virginia either, but nature gave a surprise. And hardly anyone is happy about this surprise - the Internet is full of stories where these caterpillars caused terrible torment for many people.

The cat moth itself is also fluffy

Hairy caterpillars typically feed on oak and elm leaves, according to the state Department of Forestry (VDOF). But sometimes they can be found in parks and near buildings. The back of these creatures is covered with long hair-like bristles. At an early stage, these bristles begin to curl strongly and from a distance the caterpillars look like balls of fur. Under this thick hair there are poisonous thorns, which it is better for people and animals never to touch.

Hairy caterpillar Megalopyge opercularis

Flower caterpillar

Can you figure out where the flowers are and where the caterpillar is? Caterpillar of the moth butterfly (Synchlora aerata

) is a genius at camouflage. She glues pieces of brightly colored flower petals to her back to blend in with her surroundings.

Depending on what plant they feed on, they may use all parts of colorful plants in the hope of not being discovered. When the petals begin to weaken and fade, the caterpillar discards them and replaces them with a new “coat”.

A hawk moth is a butterfly that belongs to the phylum arthropod, class insects, order Lepidoptera, superfamily silkworms, family hawk moths, or sphinxes (lat. Sphingidae

). Common names: “northern hummingbird” or “hummingbird butterfly”.

Where do caterpillars live?

Most caterpillars live on land, although some species develop underwater (broad-winged moths). And Hawaiian moth caterpillars live both on land and in water, being adapted to exist in any environment.

In accordance with their living conditions, caterpillars are divided into 2 categories: secretive and leading a free lifestyle.

Secretive caterpillars include the following varieties:

leafworms - develop in curled leaves of trees;
frugivores (carpophagous) - live in fruits;
drillers (xylophagous) - live inside the trunks, shoots and roots of trees;
miners - make passages and inhabit the structure of leaves, petioles, buds and peel of fruits;
gall formers - provoke pathological growth of plant parts damaged by them;
underground caterpillars - live in the ground;
aquatic caterpillars - live in water.

The second type of caterpillars, which live freely on the plants they eat, make up the majority of caterpillars of large species of butterflies.

How does a caterpillar live and what does it eat?

Caterpillar feeding
For most species of caterpillars, the characteristic habitat is the surface of the earth, but there are individuals that prefer water spaces.

Depending on their preferred living conditions, caterpillars are divided into 2 categories - those leading a hidden and free lifestyle. In accordance with this classification, it is easy to determine where certain insect larvae live. Those leading a hidden existence include the following representatives of caterpillars: leafworms, underground ones, miners, etc.

Representatives of the second group live freely on the vegetation they destroy. This is how green caterpillars eat plants, and camouflage coloring allows them to hide from external enemies.

Their diet, depending on whether they belong to a particular species, is quite varied. The hatched larva first eats the shell of the egg, and then moves on to its usual diet. Caterpillars feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. However, in nature there are insects that prefer other types of food. In accordance with this feature, the larvae are divided into the following 4 groups:

polyphagous - feed on any vegetation;
oligophages - prefer plants of a certain type;
monophagous - eat a strictly defined type of plant;
xylophages - consume only wood.

There are other varieties of caterpillars, but they are not numerous.

For humans, the caterpillar is primarily a pest that causes enormous damage to cultivated green spaces. However, the silkworm plays a huge role in silk production. Insects are widely used in Chinese folk medicine. Insect larvae of a certain species are also used to control weeds.

The larvae have many natural enemies in nature. Birds pose the greatest danger to them. Thus, the blue tit, which eats caterpillars and uses them to feed its chicks, can destroy up to 30 thousand insect larvae in a season. Wasps feed their offspring with chewed caterpillars or, paralyzing them with poison, store them for future use. At the same time, if all the larvae remained alive, then after about 7 years, the offspring of one butterfly alone would exceed the mass of the entire globe.

Butterfly-pest of the garden and vegetable garden hawthorn (with photo)

The hawthorn is a large, light-colored butterfly from the whitethorn family. It has white wings with black veins, the span of which is on average 5-6 cm.

The caterpillars of this butterfly, a pest of gardens and vegetable gardens, cause the greatest harm to fruit trees because they eat the leaves. The pest weaves a web around them, making nests in which it overwinters.

In the spring, when the flower buds of the apple tree are just beginning to bloom, the caterpillars leave their shelter and begin to gnaw out the buds, then damage the leaves, leaving only thick veins.

Hymenoptera parasitic insects play a significant role in reducing the number of hawthorn caterpillars.

Insects: butterflies

1. Silkworm

Undoubtedly, the butterfly is beautiful, but even more beautiful is the caterpillar from which it turns into a butterfly.

During development, it goes through several color stages - first it is brown with white spots, then it develops a brilliant green color, and eventually it becomes orange-red.

3. Caterpillar of the Japanese emperor butterfly (Sasakia charonda)

In addition to the fact that the caterpillar of this ancient butterfly from the Nymphalidae family has a smiley face “:3” on its face, at the end of its development it turns into the Sasakia charonda butterfly, which is considered the national butterfly of Japan (the imperial butterfly).

4. Caterpillars of the Chinese butterfly Bicyclus anynana

Due to the fact that the caterpillars of this butterfly look like a cat, they are quite popular in Japan. When they grow up they turn into rather boring brown butterflies.

Reproduction

Lepidoptera are insects with complete metamorphosis. The lady bear gives birth to one generation per year. Caterpillars appear 6-8 days after laying. At the first instar they are light yellow, with a large round head and many hairs on the body. The offspring are polyphagous; in addition to the plants listed above, the caterpillars prefer to feed on raspberries, blackberries, willows, nettles, honeysuckle, and forget-me-nots.

The adult larva is black and blue with bright yellow longitudinal stripes on the back and sides. The burning hairs on the caterpillar's body are collected in bunches. The yellow stripes are interrupted by black and white warts. Caterpillars enter winter diapause. They wrap themselves in a light, loose cocoon and hide among the foliage and plant debris. Pupation occurs in May of the following year. The pupa is dark brown.