What do Caterpillars look like?
All caterpillars turn into moths or butterflies. Other insect larvae are often mistaken for caterpillars. These include saw fly larvae, witchetty grubs, leaf beetle grubs, ladybird larvae, cherry slugs and Bardee grubs. The way to tell the difference is to check out the legs. Caterpillars have sixteen legs: six true legs plus an extra ten small legs called prolegs. Insect larvae on the other hand only have six legs.
Where are Caterpillars found?
All around Australia. Australia is home to roughly 400 known species of butterflies, about 10,000 known species of moths, and probably as many moth species again yet to be described.
Fast facts:
- Processionary caterpillars are found across Australia and are the larvae of the Bag Shelter Moth. When on the move they let out a silk trail that other caterpillars will follow. They have been known to have over 200 caterpillars in procession.
- Caterpillars are great escape artists. Instead of running away they bungee jump instead! When threatened, some caterpillars can drop off the leaf but remain attached by a fine piece of silk. When the coast is clear, they can climb back up to safety.
Caterpillars – the full story
Love them or hate them, caterpillars are an important part of the Australian environment. They can bring joy in the form of the promise of a beautiful butterfly, despair as they devour tender young broccoli plants, or itching and pain as a spitfire caterpillar brushes against your bare skin.
Around August, moths and butterflies are busily searching for a safe place to lay their eggs. Some have already produced eggs, so it’s a good time to find out what’s a caterpillar and what’s not.
All caterpillars turn into either moths or butterflies. Australia is home to roughly 400 known species of butterflies, about 10,000 known species of moths, and probably as many moth species again yet to be described.
But some caterpillars aren’t really caterpillars at all. Certain insect larvae are often mistaken for caterpillars. These include saw fly larvae, witchetty grubs, leaf beetle grubs, ladybird larvae, cherry slugs and Bardee grubs. The way to tell the difference is to check out the legs. Caterpillars have sixteen legs: six true legs plus an extra ten small legs called prolegs. Insect larvae on the other hand only have six legs.
Be on particular lookout for spitfires in your backyard (like the one in the picture above). These caterpillars don’t actually spit but rather, have pockets of stinging spines that they stick out when they feel threatened.
The caterpillars of the Cabbage White Butterfly are considered an exasperating pest by gardeners as they can eat an entire veggie patch in very little time. If you have chooks, they love caterpillars, or you can cover your patch of seedlings with soft mesh over a frame to keep the Cabbage Whites from laying their eggs, and the hatched caterpillars eating your veggies.
Caterpillars in the family Papilionidae and Lasiocampinae have a different defence: they can suddenly produce a pair of soft “horns” from behind their head which make a pungent, aromatic smell but are entirely harmless.
Did you know?
Caterpillars are great escape artists. Although they don’t have the luxury of running away from a predator, they can bungee jump instead! When threatened, many caterpillars drop off the leaf but remain attached by a fine piece of silk. When the coast is clear, they can climb back up to safety.
Tip
Get to know the local species of butterfly in your area, and establish plants in your garden which will provide food for their caterpillars. The local native plant nursery will be able to advise which are the best species.
If you live in Queensland, don’t plant the South American Dutchman’s Pipe Aristolochia elegans – the rare Richmond Birdwing butterfly mistakes this plant for the native vine on which it normally lays its eggs – but the exotic vine is poisonous to the caterpillars.
