Shaggy caterpillars (fluffy)

The hairy caterpillar is characterized by the presence of numerous villi of different lengths all over the body or in its individual sections. Butterfly larvae with an exotic appearance are more common in countries with warm climates in the tropical zone. They have a variety of colors, differ in lifestyle, nutrition. Upon completion of their development they pupate, a butterfly is born, which may differ in color from the larvae.

Nutrition

Shaggy caterpillars eat In most cases, plant foods - fruit juices, plants, nectar.However, among them are predators that eat their own kind - weakened, sick larvae, butterflies, other small insects, aphids.

• Polyphages are completely illegible in food, they eat almost all vegetation. Lead mostly nocturnal.
• Oligophagous plants eat a certain species, kind. So the butterfly caterpillar Swallowtail feeds exclusively on an umbrella.
• Monophages live and eat one plant. With a strong infection of a particular shrub, other plant species adjacent to it remain completely safe.
• Xylophagus do not eat anything other than wood. This group of caterpillars is always distinguished by a large number of individuals in one brood.

The transitional form is shaggy creatures that eat tinder mushrooms, lichens. A separate group includes keratophages that feed on elements of animal origin - the horny cover, wool, skin, hair.

Shaggy caterpillars

The shaggy caterpillar butterfly is an ancient inhabitant of our planet whose roots go back to the days of the existence of dinosaurs. There is a huge variety of larvae in the world, distinguished by an unusual appearance, the presence of hairs on the body of different lengths.Photo shaggy caterpillar below.

On a note!

A fluffy caterpillar can look quite attractive, but you should not touch it for the sake of curiosity. In most cases hairs contain special poisonwhich, upon contact with the skin, in the wound causes serious irritation of the skin, worsening of general well-being - headache, chills, nausea, dizziness, etc.

Appearance of hairy young butterflies

Shaggy caterpillars

Photos and names of fluffy caterpillars are presented below. The variety of butterflies and their larvae, colors, appearance are surprising.

• Yoke. Superficially resembles a miniature, innocuous, fluffy or hairy animal. However, under the attractive coat of wool spikes hide with a rather strong poison. Within 5 minutes after touching a strange creature, a throbbing pain arises in the armpit. This is followed by general malaise, signs of intoxication of varying severity. The place of a touch from a hairy cub of a butterfly becomes covered with red spots, a rash.
• Trekking moth Black furry caterpillar lives high on a pine tree. Hairy creatures settle in numerous colonies in a large silk nest. Butterflies lay eggs in huge quantities. They feed on juices of needles, move together in a colony, following one after another. The whole body is covered with hair, and poison is contained inside. Touching a person ends with irritation of the skin, there may be signs of intoxication.
• Hairy caterpillar hiding in the bag. The name of the black shaggy caterpillar characterizes its way of life. During the day, the larvae massively hide in a special silk bag, which they form for themselves. At night, they move in groups in search of food. They resemble externally and according to the way of life the larvae of marching moths, but more dangerous for humans. A large shaggy caterpillar contains an anticoagulant poison that prevents blood from clotting and can cause internal bleeding. The butterfly is absolutely safe.
• Dipper krestovnikovaya. The black and orange hairy larva is dangerous due to the consumption of large quantities of the juice of a poisonous plant - the groundsel. In the countries of North America, butterflies and their offspring are used to destroy a harmful plant on the site.The hairy caterpillar is dangerous for cattle and horses. From its presence on the body, the animal may die. Man brings a temporary deterioration in health.
• Moth witch. Brown, shaggy, unusual shape. More like a flower with petals. It lives in orchards, eats the juices of plants and vegetables. For a person there is no particular danger, but after contact there is a rash, redness, itching.
• The filling The shaggy black and red caterpillar has a red head. The body is black, with red stripes on the sides with spikes. Red color of the head warns of the danger of a small creature. The pest lives in trees, eats bark. With a large number of larvae, the plant risks dying. Hands from the tree to remove the caterpillar is not worth it, the larva unpleasant stings, causes an allergic reaction on the skin, general malaise.
• Sedlis. Red caterpillar with a light green pattern. It looks like a dog in bright clothes. Muzzle, tail, back. The lime pattern on the body looks like a saddle. From here comes the name. An attractive hairy creature is dangerous to human health. On the fleshy horns on both sides of the body are thorns with poison.

Shaggy caterpillar passes several stages of development, sheds 2 to 6 times during growing up. At different stages of development, it can be significantly different in appearance - from bare to turn into shaggy, from hairy to smooth.