Caterpillar

insects · transformation · nature

Baby butterflies. A caterpillar is the larval (baby) stage of butterflies and moths, which belong to the insect group called Lepidoptera.

Eating champions. Caterpillars spend most of their time munching leaves, growing bigger and bigger so they have enough energy to transform later.

Big change ahead. After enough eating, a caterpillar changes into a chrysalis or cocoon and eventually emerges as a butterfly or moth.

Look-alikes. Some other insect babies, like sawfly larvae, look so much like caterpillars that people often call them caterpillars too.