r/caterpillars Apr 03 '25

Discussion PSA: Please remember to add location to id requests!

15 Upvotes

I know you are eager to try to find species of your new leaf munching friend but please remember to add your location into the post. There is large variance of caterpillars depending on country and even inside countries have different areas with their own soecies so with large countries, its preferred to add state/city etc also.

This speeds up identifying as there are similar looking caterpillars but species can be different depending country. Some species only inhabit tiny areas. Looking forward for all new posts. ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you!


r/caterpillars 3h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Patterkillers

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15 Upvotes

These decimated my milkweeds overnight in Minnesota. I know they are caterpillars, probably the kind birds avoid. What species are they? I never saw any eggs.


r/caterpillars 16h ago

Video Video of Caterpillars Fighting

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49 Upvotes

Hereโ€™s a clip of these two going at it. This had been non stop for the last hour. Should I move one of them? Fascinating to watch but want to make sure they donโ€™t get injured.


r/caterpillars 5h ago

Funny Canโ€™t say Iโ€™ve ever seen this before!

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4 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1h ago

Frasspost Fritillary frass

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โ€ข Upvotes

r/caterpillars 6h ago

Advice/Help Help with the behaviour of a woolly bear I found (Texas)

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5 Upvotes

I recently found this woolly bear crawling(?) across my floor in my 3rd floor apartment. I originally thought it was a piece of fluff from doing my laundry, as I never actually saw it move.

I'm also not actually sure if it made it's way into my apartment from the Texas outdoors, or if it hitched a ride on my plants that I had outdoors in northern Arkansas, which are now indoors in Texas (lest they fry ๐Ÿ”ฅ). We're currently experiencing an extreme heat wave (103-118 every day), but it should mildly let up pretty soon and I'd like to set it free outside wherever I can find appropriate foliage.

However, I'm a little worried because a.) it hasn't been moving very much and b.) I keep finding it rolled onto it's back. I tried googling it, and all I could find is about hibernating habits... but it's the middle of summer. Is this normal? I just want to be able to give the little woolly a fighting chance outside, but not sure if it's just actively dying on me. I've been keeping it with my dandelion and chive plants, if that info helps at all.


r/caterpillars 2h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Eating tomato plant southwest Ohio very small

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2 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 7h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› On A Pokeweed - Middle Tennessee

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4 Upvotes

I have a terrarium Iโ€™m collecting the little guys in. Iโ€™d like to identify what these are so I can feed them properly since I cut the weed down before I realized it had inhabitants.

LAST TWO PHOTOS I know theyโ€™re different caterpillars. Iโ€™d like those two identified as well if you can. I know using google lens only gets you so far. Iโ€™ve found the first one to be a flannel moth caterpillar and second google says is a Virginia tiger moth but after looking at photos Iโ€™m very unsure and need help.


r/caterpillars 8m ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Found in Davis, CA

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โ€ข Upvotes

I had no idea caterpillars could move this fast. This little guy got disturbed when I had to walk through some bushes, did this little run around and then went under my truck in the shade. I offered him some water by pouring it a few inches away from him and he immediately drank some and then got into the wet ground, chilled for awhile, and left. Always liked caterpillars, such an alien-looking bug


r/caterpillars 16h ago

Aww So fun to watch

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17 Upvotes

Love these little dudes, itโ€™s crazy how much they eat.


r/caterpillars 12h ago

Advice/Help Is this normal?

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5 Upvotes

This is my first time raising caterpillars-- my American moon moth caterpillar just released a bunch of brownish liquid and is turning brown. It's just getting ready to shed, right? ๐Ÿ˜…๐Ÿ˜…


r/caterpillars 6h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Who is this? -Midwest US states

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2 Upvotes

Accidentally kidnapped this baby while collecting black cherry leaves for my cecropias. Can anyone ID? INat is suggesting cherry Leafroller moth (Caloptillia serotinella)?


r/caterpillars 23h ago

Video Too many fritillary caterpillars

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40 Upvotes

my population of caterpillars exploded to from 10 to 48 since friday with more on the way. I donโ€™t think my passion vine will sustain them.


r/caterpillars 19h ago

Video ๐Ÿ›Common Crow- Wandering Caterpillar to Butterfly emergence :)

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10 Upvotes

Managed to film my Euploea core butterfly eclosing and wanted to make a small video showcasing his transition. Completely forgot to take a pic of the metallic silver chrysalis :(
And i put my phone in a stupid spot to film the actual eclosion lol but oh well.


r/caterpillars 12h ago

Advice/Help Sorry for bad photo, but i have no idea if this could be a caccoon already

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2 Upvotes

He wrapped himself in 3 leaves and formed this web-like structure around him, i cant take a better picture becuase its all surrounded by leaves from other sides.

Should i do anything at this point or will he do on his own


r/caterpillars 16h ago

Advice/Help Caterpillars Fighting

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4 Upvotes

These two guys have been going at it. Rather interesting to watch but just want to make sure itโ€™s ok. Should I separate them? I have a video of it but it wonโ€™t let me upload it for some reason.


r/caterpillars 17h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› hello! can you help me ID my new friend spinkle

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3 Upvotes

i found him in a bouquet of snapdragons in Creston British Columbia (snapdragons were grown local) i noticed he was a little green today

heโ€™s in a jar and his name is spinkle
i want to know what kind he is to know if i should keep him for a bit / what i need to give him or if i should get rid of him

TIA :)


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› ๐ŸŽถmakin my way downtown๐ŸŽถ

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38 Upvotes

Iโ€™m sorry for the blurry pics but it was so hard to get a pic of this tiny fellow! Not even totally sure itโ€™s a caterpillar but it has neon yellow/green stripes and is otherwise black. I found him this morning in Whitefish, which is in NW Montana. What do you think?


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Video Good morning

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37 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

Discussion is this a caterpillar? if so, what caterpillar is it?

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5 Upvotes

hello! there was a caterpillar in my hair! i wanted to get them back to nature but didn't have the heart for it, so i'm taking care of them til they become a butterfly or moth...

but idk, idk if it's a caterpillar or not, can you guys tell me?

they are now sleeping!


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Photo Raising a caterpillar pt. 2

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6 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

Photo ?

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3 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help What are the best temperatures for a caterpillar?

1 Upvotes

Long story short I keep a cutworm that used to live in my graduation flowers. He's in a room with AC (not directly in front of it) but I keep it on for around 24-27 degrees. His enclosure has 5cm soil to burrow and I change his food every day, also, I cover his enclosure with a light cloth over the mesh so it's dark even if the room is lit (cutworms are nocturnal and move in darkness)

I can't out the enclosure outside bc we I in an apartment


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Aww My Azalea Hornworm is now a full on Moth!

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2 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 2d ago

Video Elephant Hawks Moth Caterpillar thrashing his socks off

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40 Upvotes