The caterpillar is the larvae (the baby) of both a butterfly and a moth.

After around 2-3 weeks, the caterpillar builds itself into

a cocoon where it remains a pupa for a further 2 weeks. The caterpillar
then emerges having grown wings.

The moth caterpillar is well known for being a pest, particularly in the
fabric industry. One species of caterpillar has destroyed reams
of silk in the far east, known in China as a silkworm.

Generally, most species of caterpillar are considered to be agricultural

pests as they can munch their ways through fields of crops, often
leaving enormous holes which result in unhealthy or inedible plants.

Some species of caterpillar are also highly poisonous, particularly

those species that live in the tropical rain forests. Other species are
only poisonous in their caterpillar form, meaning when they turn into
a moth or butterfly, they no longer have venom.

There are more than 20,000 different species of known caterpillar

found all around the world and it is estimated that there are many
more that are undiscovered as new species of butterflies
and moths are regularly found in regions where there is little, if
any, humanpresence.

Caterpillars difference in size, colour and appearance depending on

their species. Some caterpillars are very brightly coloured where other
caterpillar species are quite dull-looking in comparison.
Some species of caterpillars are very hairy, where others are very
smooth. The main aim of the appearance of the caterpillar is to
intimidate its predators and to deter them from eating it.

The caterpillar, like the butterfly, is a herbivorous animal but

the diets of the caterpillar and the butterfly are very different.
Butterflies use their long straw-like tongues to drink the nectar out of
flowers, which is an adaptation that occurs in the process where the
caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Caterpillars mainly feed on leaves,
plants and flowering plants and big holes can often be found in leaves
indicating the presence of a caterpillar.

A number of species of caterpillar are known to be carnivorous and eat

a variety of insectsthat pass them. One caterpillar species found in
Hawaii, hooks itself onto a leaf where it stands very straight trying to
catching passing bugs.

Due to their small size and worm-like shape, caterpillars are preyed
upon by numerous different species of animal but the
main predators of the caterpillar are birds and large insects such
as wasps. Caterpillars are also commonly preyed upon by
small mammals and reptiles.