Hairy caterpillars (hairy) - photo and description

The hairy caterpillar is characterized by the presence of numerous villi of different lengths throughout the body or in certain areas of it. Butterfly larvae with an exotic appearance are found more often in countries with warm climates, in the tropical zone. They have a variety of colors, differ in lifestyle and nutrition. Upon completion of their development, they pupate and a butterfly is born, which can differ significantly in color from the larva.

Pine silkworm / Thaumetopoea pinivor

In Russia, poisonous caterpillars are not as dangerous as those in South America, but they can also cause a lot of trouble.
This type of silkworm received its name due to the massive migrations of larvae. They live on pine needles, which they feed on. During development, lush hair appears on the body. Adult individuals break these hairs themselves, resulting in the formation of a kind of dust. When such dust gets on the mucous areas and skin of a person, a strong burning sensation begins.

Then the skin turns red and severe itching begins. Symptoms appear within a few weeks. After contact, you should seek medical help.

Saturnia io / Automeris io

The beautiful peacock butterfly is found in Canada and the United States. The entire body of the caterpillar of this butterfly is covered with peculiar greenish thorny pom-poms.

Appearance of hairy baby butterflies

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

Yoke. Outwardly it resembles a miniature, harmless, fluffy or hairy animal. However, hidden under the attractive coat are thorns with quite strong poison. Within 5 minutes after touching a strange creature, a throbbing pain appears in the armpit. This is followed by general malaise and signs of intoxication of varying severity. The area touched by the hairy baby butterfly becomes covered with red spots and a rash.
Traveling silkworm. A black furry caterpillar lives high on a pine tree. Hairy creatures settle in numerous colonies in a large silken nest. Butterflies lay eggs in huge numbers. They feed on the juices of needles and move together in a colony, following one after another. The entire body is covered with hairs and contains poison inside. Touching a person ends in irritation of the skin, and signs of intoxication may be present.
A hairy caterpillar hiding in a sac. The name of the black hairy caterpillar characterizes its lifestyle. During the day, the larvae hide en masse in a special silk bag, which they form for themselves. At night they move in groups in search of food. They resemble the appearance and lifestyle of traveling silkworm larvae, but are more dangerous to humans. The large hairy caterpillar contains anticoagulant poison, which prevents blood from clotting and can cause internal bleeding. The butterfly is absolutely safe.
Ursa crusadus. The black and orange hairy larva is dangerous due to the consumption of large quantities of juice from a poisonous plant - ragwort. In North America, butterflies and their offspring are used to destroy harmful plants in the area. The hairy caterpillar is dangerous for cattle and horses. An animal can die from its presence on the body. It brings a temporary deterioration in health to a person.
Witch moth. Brown, shaggy, unusual shape. More like a flower with petals. Lives in orchards, feeds on the juices of plants and vegetables. It does not pose any particular danger to humans, but after touching, a rash, redness, and itching are observed.
Volnyanka. The furry black-and-red caterpillar has a red head. The body is black, with red stripes with spikes on the sides. The red color of the head warns of the danger of a small creature. The pest lives on trees and eats the bark. With a large number of larvae, the plant risks dying. You should not remove the caterpillar from the tree with your hands; the larva stings unpleasantly, causes an allergic reaction on the skin, and general malaise.
Saddle-haired. A red caterpillar with a light green pattern. Outwardly it resembles a dog in bright clothes. Muzzle, tail, back. The light green pattern on the body looks like a saddle. This is where the name comes from. An attractive hairy creature is dangerous to human health. There are spines with poison on the fleshy horns on both sides of the body.

The furry caterpillar goes through several stages of development and molts from 2 to 6 times during its maturation. At different stages of development, it can differ significantly in appearance - from naked to shaggy, from hairy to smooth.

The insect class is one of the most diverse and numerous representatives of living beings inhabiting the globe. The most beautiful representatives of the family are butterflies, which differ from each other in the most diverse and intricate patterns located on their wings. Caterpillars are an integral natural target for the formation of butterflies. They also come in a variety of shapes and colors.

Purple Hawkmoth / Mimas tiliae

The small caterpillar reaches an average length of no more than 6 cm at the peak of development. The species of this inconspicuous butterfly was discovered by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.

The body is rough, and there is a horn on the tail. This horny process has a protective shield. Development begins in early summer. During this period, they can be found on the branches of wild and fruit trees. There are especially many of them on linden, birch, and various types of alder. By the time of pupation, the body color completely changes.

It is not dangerous in itself, but if it crawls across the body, it will leave a bright mark. There are substances on her body that cause an allergic reaction. It is most difficult for allergy sufferers and people with weakened immune systems.

How does a caterpillar live and what does it eat?

Caterpillar feeding
For most species of caterpillars, the characteristic habitat is the surface of the earth, but there are individuals that prefer water spaces.

Depending on their preferred living conditions, caterpillars are divided into 2 categories - those leading a hidden and free lifestyle. In accordance with this classification, it is easy to determine where certain insect larvae live. Those leading a hidden existence include the following representatives of caterpillars: leafworms, underground ones, miners, etc.

Representatives of the second group live freely on the vegetation they destroy. This is how green caterpillars eat plants, and camouflage coloring allows them to hide from external enemies.

Their diet, depending on whether they belong to a particular species, is quite varied. The hatched larva first eats the shell of the egg, and then moves on to its usual diet. Caterpillars feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. However, in nature there are insects that prefer other types of food. In accordance with this feature, the larvae are divided into the following 4 groups:

polyphagous - feed on any vegetation;
oligophages - prefer plants of a certain type;
monophagous - eat a strictly defined type of plant;
xylophages - consume only wood.

There are other varieties of caterpillars, but they are not numerous.

For humans, the caterpillar is primarily a pest that causes enormous damage to cultivated green spaces. However, the silkworm plays a huge role in silk production. Insects are widely used in Chinese folk medicine. Insect larvae of a certain species are also used to control weeds.

The larvae have many natural enemies in nature. Birds pose the greatest danger to them. Thus, the blue tit, which eats caterpillars and uses them to feed its chicks, can destroy up to 30 thousand insect larvae in a season. Wasps feed their offspring with chewed caterpillars or, paralyzing them with poison, store them for future use. At the same time, if all the larvae remained alive, then after about 7 years, the offspring of one butterfly alone would exceed the mass of the entire globe.

Reasons for the appearance of caterpillars in an apartment or private house

Insect caterpillars emerge only from larvae. If moth eggs were found in the house, it means that an adult moth entered the house through a window or doorway. This species loves damp places, so if the ceiling leaks a little, the moth will definitely settle on it.

Also, people themselves can often bring larvae into the apartment without noticing it. Caterpillars live in cereals, walnuts or candies. They also live in flour or dried fruits. Food products are susceptible to contamination due to poor processing or long shelf life.

The reason for the appearance of caterpillars is favorable conditions for reproduction and living. In addition to ceilings, caterpillars live in beds and sofas filled with fabric. It is important to quickly get rid of parasites, otherwise they will multiply at high speed.

Nutrition

Hairy caterpillars in most cases eat plant foods - juices of fruits, plants, nectar. However, among them there are predators that eat their own kind - weakened, diseased larvae, butterflies, other small insects, and aphids.

Polyphages are absolutely indiscriminate in their food, eating almost all vegetation. They lead a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle.
Oligophages eat plants of a certain species or genus. Thus, the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly feeds exclusively on umbrellas.
Monophages live and eat one plant. If a particular shrub is heavily infested, other plant species adjacent to it remain completely safe.
Xylophages do not eat anything except wood. This group of caterpillars is always distinguished by a large number of individuals in one brood.

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

Furry caterpillars

The hairy caterpillar butterfly is an ancient inhabitant of our planet, whose roots go back to the time of dinosaurs. There is a huge variety of larvae in the world, distinguished by their unusual appearance and the presence of body hairs of different lengths. A photo of the furry caterpillar is presented below.

The furry caterpillar may look quite attractive, but you should not touch it out of curiosity. In most cases, the hairs contain a special poison, which, when it comes into contact with the skin or wound, causes serious irritation of the skin, deterioration of general health - headache, chills, nausea, dizziness, etc.

Saturnia Maya / Hemileuca maia

In the photo you can see what the caterpillar of a beautiful butterfly looks like. But the larva disgusts her and discourages her from getting to know each other better.

The entire body is covered with hollow spines, which are connected to poisonous reservoirs. When examined under a microscope, you can see that these spines are covered with multiple hairs. They themselves are dark, but the caterpillar's body is light.

The poison causes severe itching and burning in the victim. After the initial external symptoms, headache and nausea begin. From spring to mid-summer they sit in large groups on oak branches and willows.

Breeding at home

For breeding butterflies, choose a spacious container with a lid through which oxygen will pass. Cover the bottom with sphagnum moss, under which soil is placed. The height of the flooring is up to 2 cm. A frequent guest of such insectariums is a fluffy caterpillar, the name of which depends on its appearance.

For example, if you have a black hairy caterpillar, what is it called, it is not difficult to find out. If there are yellow dots, it's a mistress. If not, it is most likely urticaria. The furry black and orange creeper belongs to the kaya. It is interesting to watch how a black furry caterpillar pupates; what kind of butterfly will appear in the end will essentially become clear after 8 months.

In order for the insect to hibernate, the temperature drops to +3/+6 °C. Before this, she is fed fresh leaves. Once the pupa emerges, access to light is limited until hatching. After the butterfly appears, cotton wool soaked in a honey solution is used for feeding. As a result, a bear butterfly will appear, the photo of which will become your pride.

kaya (lat. Arctia Caja)

Coquette / Megalopyge opercularis

When you see such a creature in nature, you might not immediately guess that it is a caterpillar. The larva, covered with a kind of fur, looks more like a furry animal. This is the larva of the flannel moth, native to the southern states of the United States.

But it is not recommended to iron it. Under its hairs are poisonous spines that release a toxic substance when touched. The touch is quite painful, and after about five minutes redness may appear.

This feature is necessary for protection. Attentive nature lovers have noticed that the hairy caterpillar bears a striking resemblance to Donald Trump's hair.

Appearance and anatomy of an insect

Caterpillars are not an independent group of numerous representatives of the fauna. These are larvae of representatives of the order Lepidoptera. Answering the question whether a caterpillar is an insect or not, we can unequivocally answer that yes, because this is a certain, that is, the larval stage of its development. Butterflies are distributed almost throughout the planet, especially in places where flowering vegetation grows. It is very rare to find insects in cold latitudes, as well as deserts and lifeless highlands. Not too many butterflies live in temperate climate zones.

The biology of the caterpillar is complex and diverse

To determine the type of insect, first of all you need to pay attention to its color, body size, number of limbs, length and thickness of hairs, feeding habits, as well as other specific features. Depending on the variety, the length of the pest ranges from a few mm to 12 cm

The body of an insect includes: a head, 3 thoracic and 10 abdominal parts with legs located on them.

Caterpillar structure

The caterpillar's head consists of 6 parts fused together, resulting in a dense capsule.

The area between the eyes and forehead is conventionally called the cheeks. In its lower part there is a hole, which in its configuration is similar to a heart.
For most insects, a round shape is typical. However, some varieties have triangular, rectangular or heart-shaped heads.
Caterpillars, like other insect larvae, have a primitive brain. The parietal regions can protrude significantly above the surface of the body, forming a kind of “horns”.
On the lateral surfaces of the organ there are miniature antennae.
Looking at the structure of the caterpillar, it is clear that all insects are distinguished by their gnawing mouthparts. They have well-developed upper jaws, which are equipped with teeth that allow them to gnaw and tear food. Inside the oral cavity there are tubercles with which insects chew food. The salivary glands are a specific spinning machine that allows the silkworm to form a thread. The lower jaws and lip are fused into a single complex.

The insect larva has 5-6 pairs of eyes and one lens. They are arranged in an arcuate manner or are combined into one complex organ consisting of five simple eyes. The first one is inside the arc.

Caterpillar

The body of most species is soft, enclosed in a membranous covering. This provides the insect with good mobility. Fauna lovers are quite often interested in the following question: how many muscles does a caterpillar have? Biologists claim that the larval muscular corset has 4,000 muscles, of which 250 are located in the head. The anus is located on the last part of the body, surrounded by special blades. The caterpillar (except for waterfowl) has one spiracle located on the chest.

Her body is almost never completely naked. It always has growths such as specific outgrowths, hairs, cuticles, which are formations in the form of cones or granules. The hairs on the body of an insect are arranged in a special way, corresponding to the genus or species of the larva.

Caterpillars have protective mechanisms in the form of easily detachable hairs that irritate the skin. There are poisonous caterpillars that secrete a burning liquid or accumulate poison in their bodies.

Parasa indetermina

The larva of the Parasa indetermina butterfly, due to its unusual appearance and ability to burn, received the nickname “Burning Rose”. It grows no more than 2.5 cm, and its range is limited to the North American continent.

She has bright colors and various stripes can be seen on her body. Red and yellow spots. In addition, for protection, it has a number of processes on which there are burning tubercles. When touched, the tips of these tubercles break off, and severe pain and irritation are felt at the point of contact.

It feeds on the leaves of fruit trees, especially often affecting various varieties of apple trees. Also found in deciduous forests.

By the way, on our website most-beauty.ru there is an interesting article about the most beautiful butterflies in the world.

Russian species

These butterflies are common not only in Russia, but throughout the Eurasian continent. Only the Redtail larva has a characteristic feature. The offspring of Marching silkworms are characterized by nondescript coloring. Their only distinguishing feature is long bristles. Therefore, photos of poisonous caterpillars in Russia along with their descriptions are below.

Redtail (Calliteara pudibunda)

This is the name of the night butterfly - a pest of fruit crops, in which a semblance of red color is present only on the mustache. But this name was given to this insect because of the larvae. Caterpillars of the Red-tailed Caterpillar/Bashful-footed Caterpillar can have different colors:

grey;
pink;
dark brown;
lemon yellow.

But the obligatory sign of a caterpillar of this species is a tuft of long crimson or crimson-red hairs sticking up at the rear end of the larva. The insect is not capable of causing serious harm. Contact with the hairs on the caterpillar's body causes an allergic reaction in a person in the form of a rash. Habitat: Eurasia, except the Far North. Prefers beech and oak forests.

Marching silkworm (Thaumetopoeidae)

There are several species of this family. Silkworms are absent only on the American continents and Australia. There are two species in Russia:

pine silkworm (Thaumetopoea pinivora), feeding on pine needles;
The oak silkworm (T. processionea) feeds on oak leaves.

These butterflies received the prefix “walking” because their caterpillars move strictly one after another, guided by the silk thread of the individual in front.

Hiking silkworms are malicious pests that can destroy entire hectares of forests. They received the name “silkworm” for entwining “unlucky” trees with silk thread. Hiking has no relation to sericulture, for which the silkworm is used.

The larvae of the moth are covered with thick, long bristles. The bristles have microscopic serrations that help them penetrate the body of the “offender.”

Therefore, the poison of the silkworm caterpillar is questionable. The bristles embedded in the skin can only move inside the body. They are very brittle and impossible to remove. As parts of the bristles move inward, they cause itching, scratching, and blistering. This is a normal reaction of the skin to irritants. Those who “caught” the smallest protective needles of the prickly pear cactus into their skin received a similar reaction on the skin.

Russian dangerous caterpillars usually have bristles that are not toxic, but easily break off and reward their offender with a mass of small splinters. It is not recommended to touch any. And you can see how easily these larvae lose their bristles when touched by touching them with a stick.

General safety principle in relation to: never touch those protected by bristles.

The birth of a butterfly is associated with a certain stage of insect development. After an adult has laid eggs in some secluded place, larvae emerge from them in the form of small worms. These worms are quite voracious creatures. They eat a lot of greens in order to move to another stage of development.

These larvae are called caterpillars. An insect can be a caterpillar for either several days or several years, depending on the species. Typically, each type of caterpillar eats a specific type of plant. They often become pests of any crops, fruit trees, berries, vegetables, fruits, etc. After a certain time, the caterpillar turns into a cocoon, which is called a pupa. Then an adult, called a butterfly, emerges from the cocoon.

All types of caterpillars may differ in size, development periods, colors, and habitats, but they all have the same body structure. The body structure of a caterpillar consists of:

From a well-defined head of regular round shape, oral apparatus, visual organs and horn-shaped antennae.
Breasts.
Abdominal section.
Several pairs of limbs.

As a rule, a caterpillar has at least 5-6 pairs of eyes located nearby. The mouth has several small teeth with which they chew plants. There are small hairs or spine-like growths on the body. As a rule, the caterpillar moves quickly along leaves, branches and other surfaces.

Peacock's eye - the most picturesque butterfly of the middle zone

Aglais io, wingspan up to 62 mm

This butterfly will not leave any summer resident indifferent! The insect will decorate any flower garden and its offspring will not cause any harm to the garden. The round spots on the front and hind wings of the butterfly are very reminiscent of the spots on the tail of a peacock. With the help of such a cunning device, the peacock's eye often confuses birds that would like to feast on the butterfly.

dic.academic.ru

The peacock eye caterpillar is not so noticeable, although its black spines can also scare off enemies. Black caterpillars live in large colonies of up to several dozen individuals. They mainly prefer to eat nettles, thistles or hops, and less often – willow and raspberries.

How to attract a peacock eye. These butterflies are excellent pollinators. To attract them to the garden, plant flowers in shades of red, pink, orange or yellow in your flower bed. And also plant some nettles in the area.

How to control peacock eye caterpillars. An invasion of caterpillars can damage the raspberry tree, but if in the spring you treated the plantings with insecticides as standard, do not worry about the safety of the crop. It is easier to remove pest colonies manually.

What do caterpillars eat?

The hatched caterpillar first devours the shell of the egg in which it developed, and then proceeds to its main diet.

Most caterpillars are herbivores (phytophages) and feed on green mass and fruits of plants. According to the food supply, caterpillars are divided into 4 types:

polyphagous - indiscriminate caterpillars that eat any vegetation, for example, the caterpillars of most moths;
oligophages prefer plants of a certain family or genus. For example, swallowtail caterpillars eat only umbrella plants;
Monophages consume a single type of vegetation. Thus, silkworm caterpillars feed only on mulberry leaves;
xylophages do not eat anything except wood, and constitute a small variety of caterpillars - mainly glass beetles and wood borers.

The transitional form is considered to be a variety of caterpillars that eat lichens and tinder fungi. This category includes representatives of the genus of true moths. For example, the granary moth caterpillar thrives on poisonous ergot.

A few species of caterpillars are keratophagous by nature and eat elements of animal origin: horny substance, hair, wool and skin. Prominent examples are the caterpillars of furniture, carpet and clothes moths. Caterpillars of true moths eat only wax, and bee moths eat honey.

Predatory caterpillars are the smallest group: most cases of predation occur when the population density is high and there is a lack of usual food. For example, cotton bollworm and bear moth caterpillars are carnivorous and attack their own kind, weakened and diseased caterpillars.

Caterpillars of the narrow-snouted and raspberry moths, as well as the sun moth, which feed on scale insects, are considered natural predators. Predatory blueberry caterpillars eat aphids, and moth caterpillars are exclusively insectivorous and are distinguished by a rich set of hunting devices for catching their victims.

There are species of caterpillars that live in symbiosis with ants - for example, some varieties of blueberries. These caterpillars live in the anthill and control the behavior of ants by chemical means, secreting a special sweet liquid, or by acoustic means, making special sounds that attract ants.

back to contents

Classification

Each butterfly was a caterpillar, and the color of the caterpillar may differ from the color of the butterfly. Most often, caterpillars are herbivorous insects, but predators can also be found in nature. Depending on their food, caterpillars are divided into the following classes:

Polyphages. This type of caterpillar feeds on almost any plant. They represent butterfly species such as wine hawk moth, blind hawk moth, kaya bear, peacock eye and other insects.

Monophages . These caterpillars prefer to eat only specific types of plants, which is where their names come from. Examples of monophages include cabbage moths, apple moths, silkworms and other species.

Oligophages. The food of these insects is limited to one type of plant that belongs to a specific family or type. As a rule, this is a pine butterfly, swallowtail, polyxena.

Xylophagous. The diet of this class is varied with various tree barks. Such caterpillars are leafworms, woodworms, and so on.

Caterpillars also differ in their distribution area. A number of species inhabit the subtropics, and some inhabit the northern regions. Among the large number of caterpillars, there are also quite valuable representatives, for example, silkworms. Silk threads are obtained from their cocoon.

Steps

Part 1

Provide a suitable living environment

1
Take a suitable container.
The hairy caterpillar can be safely housed in a clear plastic or glass jar. The jar must have a lid so that the caterpillar does not escape. You can also use a cardboard box instead of a jar.
Read also: The right ways to get rid of flies in the kitchen: how to fight and remove midges
Make several small holes in the lid or take a lid with ready-made holes. The holes are necessary to allow air to enter the jar.
2
Place a twig in the jar.
The caterpillar will need a branch to build its cocoon. Insert a small branch into the jar containing the caterpillar. The branch should lie diagonally so that the caterpillar can climb onto it when it wants to spin a cocoon.
3
Clean the jar regularly.
The caterpillar will leave droppings in the jar daily. It needs to be cleaned regularly. Remove the caterpillar from the jar and remove the droppings with a napkin.
4
Keep the jar outside.
The hairy caterpillar requires a cold environment to grow. Store the can in a safe place outside your home. A safe place for caterpillars can be a garage or shed near the house.

Part 2

Feed the caterpillar

1
Place the plant on which the caterpillar was found in the jar.
Caterpillars prefer plants that are familiar to them. Pick a few leaves and plants from the area where you found the caterpillar. Put them in a jar.
For example, if you find a caterpillar on a tree in the garden, pick a couple of leaves from that tree.
2
Feed the caterpillar leaves.
It is very beneficial for caterpillars to eat leaves. If you find a few leaves on the ground, take them and bring them into the house. Scatter them across the bottom of the jar or box containing the caterpillar. Both green and already dried leaves are suitable for this. The caterpillar needs to be fed leaves every day.
3
Place flowers and grass.
Caterpillars also eat flowers and grass, so pick some from outside your home. For good growth of the caterpillar, plants such as dandelions, grass, plantain and burdock will be very useful. Provide the caterpillar with fresh flowers every day.
4
Spray the jar regularly with water.
Hairy caterpillars do not need a container of water, especially since they can drown in it. However, the jar with the caterpillar must be regularly sprayed with water. Spray the bottom of the jar with a spray bottle every day. Thanks to the tiny drops of water, the caterpillar will not suffer from dehydration.

Part 3

Release the caterpillar

In winter, add fallen leaves to the jar. When winter comes, add fallen leaves to the jar with the caterpillar. They will serve as warm housing during the cold winter months. The caterpillar will eventually build a cocoon, but this will not happen until spring.

It is very important that the caterpillar does not freeze in winter. 2

Bring the jar or box containing the caterpillar into the house when it builds a cocoon.

In the spring, the caterpillar will stop moving and remain on the branch. After a while she will build a cocoon. When this happens, the jar with the caterpillar can be brought into the house. This will allow you to better see the butterfly inside.

Feed the butterfly when it is born. Before the butterfly emerges from the cocoon, place a few more twigs and fresh leaves in the jar. Since the butterfly will remain in the jar for several more days, it will need these food sources.

Release the butterfly after two days. Watch the butterfly for a couple of days after it emerges from the cocoon. Take a closer look at her and watch how she eats leaves and grass. If you have children, this will be a great learning experience for them. However, after a few days the butterfly will have to be released into the wild in the same place where you found it. For a butterfly, unlike a caterpillar, life in a box will not be as comfortable.

Winter armyworm and measures to combat it

Winter cutworms develop in 2 generations. The last instar caterpillars overwinter in the soil at a depth of 20 cm. In the spring, they rise to the upper layers of the soil and pupate in small earthen burrows. In the second ten days of May, the flight of butterflies begins, which are also nocturnal.

A mechanical method of combating the caterpillars of the gnawing armyworm

Since the pest feeds at night, you will have to collect the caterpillars at the same time. No matter how inconvenient it may be, and maybe even funny, you need to go out in the dark with a lighting device and collect them. To kill the caterpillars, you need to pour half a bucket of water, add soap, and send all the collected individuals there. This work will have to be done throughout the summer season, a couple of times a week.

Biological protection of the garden from the armyworm

Various birds, frogs, fireflies and moles feed on cutworm caterpillars, but the latter are undesirable in the garden. To attract birds, you need to install several feeders on the site, and try in every possible way not to scare the birds away.

Entomophages help in regulating the population of all gnawing insects. At night, the caterpillars are eaten with appetite by ground beetles, and the eggs are damaged by Trichogramma and other riders.

Bird cherry infusion

It is often recommended to place bird cherry trees between rows of branches, but in a large garden this is very inconvenient, since you will need too many branches. To prepare the infusion you will need branches, a hammer, a large container and water. The branches need to be thoroughly softened with a hammer, placed in a container and poured with boiling water; it is best to leave for three days.

Tobacco dust, yarrow and wormwood are also not to the liking of cutworms. You can choose the amount of ingredients yourself; the most important thing in the infusion is the pungent smell. Plants should be watered with this infusion, poured directly onto the stem, at a height of up to 10 cm above the ground. The procedure must be repeated periodically, since plant essential oils disappear quickly.

Obstacles

To keep out the caterpillars, who mainly chew through plant stems, you can put barriers around the stems. The cardboards are soaked in a solution of tar soap and secured with a paper clip around the plant with a rim. However, this is not very convenient, since you will have to put a “fence” around almost every stem.

Biological products

For treatment against cutworms, a mixture of BTB and Lepidocide is also used as soon as signs of damage to the sprouts appear. The main thing is to do the treatment on time, since older larvae are more persistent.

Very effective predatory nematodes are Nemabact or “Protection” soil. This is a composite of a predatory nematode and a bacterium that is symbiotic with it. They work amazingly: the roundworm penetrates the larva with food or, excuse me, through the anus, and the bacteria decompose the insides of the pest from the inside. It turns out to be a kind of broth from the entrails, which is then eaten away by nematodes. After an empty shell remains, they leave it. Bacteria and beneficial nematodes take root well and live in open ground.

Site care and agrotechnical techniques

It was once believed that the number of pests could be reduced by deep digging to make it difficult for the caterpillars to overwinter. But, firstly, no one digs to such depth. And secondly, there is more harm from digging. Therefore, in the practice of natural farming, other agrotechnical techniques are used, namely:

If there is too much damage this year, this bed is covered with black agrofibre for the winter and until the end of June to make it difficult for the larvae to get out. If you have to resort to such a measure, fill the bed well with organic matter - over such a long period of time, the organic matter will rot well, and in the middle of summer it will be possible to plant beans, daikon, kale or any greens on it.
The bed can also be sown with perennial green manures of the legume family (comfrey, alfalfa) and not use it for a year. In the second winter, also layer it with organic matter and cover it with agrofibre so that the roots, tops and top layer are processed by earthworms.
You can plant annual flowers and/or green manure around the perimeter of the site, in which the female pests will lay eggs. Annuals bloom until autumn, and their natural entomophagous enemies breed here.

It will take a lot of time to fight the fall armyworm; rather, it all depends on the desire to get rid of this pest. Only by constantly monitoring the area will you be able to first reduce the number of individuals and then protect yourself from the pest more reliably. As for chemistry, it is hardly possible to eat onions after being treated with pesticides. It is better to choose a biologically safe drug or folk remedies to combat the winter armyworm.

Ursa Hebe

This species lives in the steppe zone and has a wide distribution area. Butterflies are found in central and southern Europe, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor, Mongolia, China and many other countries. On the territory of Russia, individuals can be found in Siberia, the Caucasus, Crimea, Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

Outwardly, it is a black caterpillar, on the body of which there is a large number of long dark gray hairs. On the sides these fibers have a more orange tint. They feed on dandelions, plantain, milkweed, millennial, and thyme.

Thus, the caterpillars of butterflies of the bear family are characterized by an unusual appearance, which helps them camouflage in different territories. To protect the caterpillars there are poisonous fibers. This allowed the individuals to maintain their populations. For agriculture, the gluttony of caterpillars poses a real danger and requires the use of additional measures to prevent eating crops.

Subspecies

Cossus cossus cossus
Cossus cossus albescens
Kitt, 1925 (Kazakhstan, Russia)
Cossus cossus araraticus
Teich, 1896 (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Iran)
Cossus cossus armeniacus
Rothschild, 1912 (Turkey)
Cossus cossus chinensis
Rothschild, 1912 (China: Shaanxi)
Cossus cossus dauricus
Yakovlev, 2007 (Russia: Transbaikalia)
Cossus cossus dersu
Yakovlev, 2009 (Russia: Primorsky Krai)
Cossus cossus deserta
Daniel, 1953 (Mongolia)
Cossus cossus gueruenensis
Friedel, 1977 (Asia Minor)
Cossus cossus kopetdaghi
Yakovlev, 2009 (Turkmenistan)
Cossus cossus kossai
Wiltshire, 1957 (Jordan, Iraq)
Cossus cossus lucifer
Grum-Grshimailo, 1891 (Tibet)
Cossus cossus mongolicus
Erschoff, 1882 (Mongolia)
Cossus cossus omrana
Wiltshire, 1957 (Iraq, Iran)
Cossus cossus tianshanus
Hua, Chou, Fang & Chen, 1990 (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan)
Cossus cossus uralicus
Seitz, 1912 (Uralsk)

Varieties (types) of caterpillars

Cabbage butterfly. This type is the most common. The larvae most often parasitize cabbage leaves. This is a green hairy caterpillar, its body length does not exceed 4 centimeters.

In addition to cabbage leaves, the insect eats the following crops: radishes, turnips, horseradish. The duration of stay in the caterpillar stage is from 2 to 5 weeks.

Moth. This is a brown caterpillar that resembles a small twig in appearance. What do caterpillars of this species eat: tree needles, currant and raspberry foliage.

Redtail. This is a brown or gray hairy larva that eats the leafy mass of green plants - apple trees, plums, rowan, hornbeam, oak.

Peacock eye. It is large in size and green in color. It feeds on fruit trees: apple, pear, plum, cherry.

Clothes moth. Eats natural fur and furniture coverings. You can also often find a small white worm in bags of flour and corn grits.

Characteristics by which the larvae of different butterflies are classified:

nature of nutrition;
nocturnal or diurnal lifestyle;
habitat;
the structure of various parts of the body;
availability of protective devices.

According to the position of the head relative to the body, caterpillars are divided into several types:

orthognathic (the longitudinal axis of the head and the axis of the body form a right angle);
prognathic (the longitudinal axis of the flattened head continues the axis of the body);
semiprognathic (occupies an intermediate position).

The first type is the most common, the second is typical for species with a mining lifestyle. They eat out passages and tunnels in the pulp of leaves and fruits. The third type includes caterpillars that live secretly.

According to the structure of the sole

The sole is the terminal part of the abdominal legs. It has hooks and a retractor muscle. With the help of these devices, the caterpillars can move along a vertical plane, upside down and in any direction. Based on their structure, there are two types of soles:

the hooks are located along the edge, and the retractor muscle is in the center;
hooks are present only on the inner side, and closer to the outer side there is a muscle, part of the outer edge is covered with keratinized tissue.

Swallowtail larva
Most caterpillars feed on various parts of plants. Depending on food preferences, they are divided into 3 groups:

polyphagous (can live and feed on different types of plants, for example caterpillars of moths);
oligophages (feed on several related plant species: the swallowtail larva loves dill, fennel, parsnips and other umbelliferous plants);
monophages (their body is adapted to process only one type of plant: the silkworm feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves).

However, plants are not the only source of nutrition for small voracious creatures. Some of their varieties eat wood (xylophages), mushrooms (bagworm larvae), honey or beeswax (moth larvae), wool and leather (moth larvae).

Secretive species prefer to live in a secluded place, out of public view. As a rule, such caterpillars have a nondescript color and are not armed with protective outgrowths.

Habitat of secretive caterpillars:

soil (underground caterpillars);
water (underwater caterpillars);
leaves twisted in a special way (leaf rollers);
pathological growths on stems or leaves (gall formers);
pulp of fruits (codling moths), roots;
wood (xylophages).

Cabbage butterfly. This type is the most common. The larvae most often parasitize cabbage leaves. This is a green hairy caterpillar, its body length does not exceed 4 centimeters.

In addition to cabbage leaves, the insect eats the following crops: radishes, turnips, horseradish. The duration of stay in the caterpillar stage is from 2 to 5 weeks.

Moth. This is a brown caterpillar that resembles a small twig in appearance. What do caterpillars of this species eat: tree needles, currant and raspberry foliage.

Penetration methods

As mentioned earlier, caterpillars can enter the apartment along with food in the kitchen. However, in addition to this, pests can be seen in other parts of the house.

If the owner finds white caterpillars with a yellow tint in his apartment, then most likely furniture moth larvae have infested the furniture. They can also be detected by their fabric cocoons, which contain small white balls that look like dark rice. These insects can enter the house with purchased furniture. If the warehouses had unsanitary conditions suitable for insect life, then the larvae “came” to the house from there. The maturation stage of furniture moths is 3 months. The larvae grow at temperatures from 20 to 25 degrees. Apartment owners may not know about new neighbors for a long time, so when purchasing furniture you should carefully check the interior upholstery.
Also, with the purchase of furniture, flea larvae can enter the house. They are not terrible for people, since they feed on dead human tissue, hair or synthetic fabric, which is a lot of furniture. When fleas grow up, they become dangerous to humans because they begin to drink blood. They can also be brought into the house with vegetables and pet products (rugs, bedding). If the house is old, then the larvae like to hang around in wooden planks.
Pests are found in new mattresses and pillows. Clothes moth larvae look like small white worms with 6 pairs of legs. They can be identified by the silk case in which they live. They feed on the remains that humans leave behind: sweat, greasy food stains, hair.
Carpet beetle caterpillars can get into your home with new carpet. Their elongated body has alternating brown and golden stripes. These larvae are found in clothing and pillow feathers.
You should not take old furniture from your hands. If necessary, the boards should be checked. Caterpillars of grinder beetles can live in them. They live in the same furniture for about 20 years. They are very harmful to wooden materials and can then climb into other furniture. The larva is distinguished by its gray, fleshy body with spines on its head. Over the course of its entire life, this insect can chew through 50 km of wood.
Due to dampness in the toilet and bathroom, silverfish larvae settle on the ceiling and walls. They have a white or silver body with a black shell. They don't like light, so they prefer the gaps between baseboards. Such insects live for 4 years and reproduce very quickly.
If the kitchen is not clean, in addition to food moths, fly caterpillars may appear. They look like white worms. They are very dangerous because they spread infections. You should get rid of such neighbors immediately after discovering them.

Baang haang

This is the name of the caterpillars of Thailand. We will complete our list of most-beauty with them. Almost all caterpillars of an exotic country will cause a lot of problems for tourists. After meeting them, the body itches for weeks and a rash appears.

Like many inhabitants of tropical forests, the larvae of Thai butterflies are beautiful and distinctive. Most species are brightly colored to scare off enemies. Some, on the contrary, disguise themselves as foliage or the earth's surface.

When going to any country, you need to study what dangerous creatures you can encounter in its open spaces.

Volyanka / Orgyia leucostigma

Small butterflies have settled on all continents, and in total there are more than 2,700 species. Particularly large populations are found in the tropical and subtropical zones of Southeast Asia and the African continent.

The caterpillars of many species of mothwort are poisonous. There are hairs on the body that contain a toxic substance. During periods of mass reproduction, such larvae can cause great harm to animals and humans. The poison causes inflammation of the respiratory tract, affects the mucous membrane of the eyes and causes a rash on the skin.

In addition, they are polyphagous and cause great harm to garden crops. They develop both on trees and on shrubs and herbaceous plants.

Ochrogaster lunifer

This type of caterpillar is called "hiding in a bag." They stay in groups in a silk bag during the day, and at night they crawl out to hunt, moving one after another.

The species lives in South America and poses a danger to humans. The black caterpillar is completely covered with sharp hairs. They are not poisonous, but touching them can cause a deep cut.

The whole danger is that these hairs act as a powerful anticoagulant. This substance slows down the process of blood clotting. To avoid big problems, it is necessary to provide medical assistance.

The main enemies of wood

In addition to plant pests (fungi, mold), the integrity of wood can also be threatened by harmful insects. There are about 130 species of the animal kingdom that technically damage various parts of the tree, making them unusable. They are classified taking into account geography, seasonality, species and stage of wood processing. Pests, including root pests, regard it as food and habitat.

The integrity of various parts of the tree is threatened by termites and wood-boring beetles:

Notes

Vorontsov A.I. Forest entomology. — 4th ed., revised. and additional.. - M.: Higher School, 1982. - 384 p.
Mirzoyan S. A., Batiashvili I. D., Gramma V. N. et al. Rare insects M.: Forest industry, 1982. - 165 p.
↑ 12
Shevyrev I. Ya. Scented woodborer // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Striganova B. R., Zakharov A. A. Five-language dictionary of animal names: Insects (Latin-Russian-English-German-French) / Ed. Doctor of Biology sciences, prof. B. R. Striganova. - M.: RUSSO, 2000. - P. 200. - 1060 copies. — ISBN 5-88721-162-8.
Krushen-woodborer // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Vasiliev V.P. Pests of agricultural crops and forest plantations: In 3 volumes - Vol. 2. Harmful arthropods, vertebrates. — 2nd ed., rev. and additional / Under the general ed. V. P. Vasilyeva; Editors of the volume V. G. Dolin, V. N. Stovbchaty. - K.: Urozhay, 1988 576.
Scarlato O. A. Key to insects of the European part of the USSR. Volume IV. Lepidoptera. First part. A. K. Zagulyaev, V. I. Kuznetsov, A. A. Stekolnikov, I. L. Sukhareva, M. I. Falkovich. L., “Science”, 1978, 712 p.
Butterfly pests of agriculture and forestry in the Far East: Key. Ed. Belyaev E. A. et al. Vladivostok: Far Eastern Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1988

Witch moth / Phobetron pithecium

The most peculiar and unusual caterpillar in wildlife usually lives on fruit trees in orchards. Because of its unusual appearance, it is also called the “slug monkey.”

The entire body is covered with thick hair, and the body structure differs from the usual physique of butterfly larvae. Most often, the hair is light brown in color, which darkens with age.

Nature took care of protection, because not every bird will decide to peck such a “monster”. This type of larva can be perceived in different ways, but the hairs contain a toxic substance. If it comes into contact with the skin, it causes redness that goes away after a few days.

Redtail / Calliteara pudibunda

The distribution area of this butterfly is quite wide, but is divided into two large regions. The first, these are the countries of Western Europe, is found in Belarus and Crimea.

The second is the eastern regions of Russia. Widely settled in Siberia and Primorye. It is also called Shy Paw. The entire body of the caterpillar is covered with hairs, and the color is quite varied. There are red, pink, as well as brown and gray individuals. But they all have a small red ponytail at the back.

Touching human skin causes an allergic rash and redness. A furry caterpillar will not do much harm, but it will be unpleasant.

Reproduction of odorous woodworms

The females of these butterflies lay their eggs, as a rule, in the crevices of trees. There can be 700-1000 eggs in a clutch. She lays them in groups of 15-230 pieces. The eggs are oblong, about 1.2-1.7 millimeters long, light brown in color. They are coated with a sticky substance that hardens when exposed to air.

Willow borer caterpillars eat wood. Caterpillars of the first instar are cherry-red or pink in color, while caterpillars of subsequent instars are darker. At the end of development, the size of the caterpillars is 80-120 millimeters. They spend the winter in passages made in wood. They close the entrance to the chamber using drill flour.

The voracious caterpillars of the woodworm eat all the wood that comes in their way.

Caterpillars of the first instar create a common course and stick together. The passages are filled with caterpillar excrement and drill flour. After wintering, each individual gnaws deep into a separate passage, where they develop.

An adult caterpillar makes passages with a peg diameter of 16 millimeters. On trees with thick bark, caterpillars make their burrows only after the first winter, but on trees with smooth, thin bark, they penetrate the wood earlier, most often a month after hatching.

The color of the woodworm serves as an excellent camouflage. It is indistinguishable from wood.

In the northern part of the range, the caterpillars do not emerge from the wood, but make a chamber at the end of their course. In this chamber, the caterpillar constructs a kind of cocoon from drill flour. She spends another winter in it. In spring, adult caterpillars remain in the tree, and in June they emerge from the trunk and turn into pupae in the soil.

A woodworm butterfly emerging from a pupa

Prevention measures

To prevent woodworm from appearing in the garden area, it is best to take preventive measures. They consist of regularly clearing trees of moss and cracked bark. To preserve trees, you will need to lubricate the trunk using any of the following mixtures:

Mix clay (2 parts) with lime (1 part).
Prepare a product from insecticide, glue and clay. To do this, dilute the clay in a bucket with water to such a consistency that it resembles sour cream. Then add 10% Karbofos and 250 g of carpentry or casein glue. If the trees are young and their bark is very thin, you should not add glue.

The selected mixture should be used on days when there is no rain. The frequency of application is twice per season: in the spring, when there is still snow cover, and in the fall, after the leaves have fallen. It is necessary to coat not only the tree trunk with the mixture, but also the base of the branches. Coating height is 2 m or more.

Lifestyle of wood borers

This is a sedentary species, leading a nocturnal lifestyle. Flight occurs at the end of May - beginning of August. On the Black Sea coast, in warm weather, flights can begin in mid-April. In Transcaucasia it runs from May to July, and in Tuva and Buryatia from June to August. Willow woodborers fly low above the ground. The flight lasts about 2 weeks, mainly at night.

These butterflies are more active at night.

Lonomia / Lonomia Obliqua

One of the most poisonous caterpillars on the planet is the larva of the Peacock butterfly, found in Latin America. Reaches a length of 5.5 to 8 cm. The entire body is covered with fine hairs. They are also called the Lazy Clown.

Numerous studies have proven that lomonia can produce toxic substances dangerous to human life and health. For the first time, attention was paid to toxin poisoning in 1983, when dangerous creatures caused a massive epidemic in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.

A poisonous caterpillar from South America has caused the death of many people. Fatal outcomes after encountering it are recorded especially often in the south of Brazil.

Literature

Zagulyaev A.K. Sem. Cossidae - Woodworms or cossids. / Insects and mites are pests of agricultural crops. T. 3, part 1. Lepidoptera. - St. Petersburg: Nauka, 1994. pp. 47-51.
Rudnev D.F. Woodworm family - Cossidae. / Arthropod pests of agricultural crops and forest plantations (ed. Vasilyev V.P.). T. 2. - Kyiv: Harvest, 1974. P. 226-228.
Savkovsky P. P. Atlas of pests of fruit and berry crops. - Kyiv: Harvest, 1976. 207 p.
Chistyakov Yu. A. Woodworm family - Cossidae. / Butterflies are pests of agriculture in the Far East. Determinant (ed. Kirpichnikova V. A., Ler P. A.). - Vladivostok: Far Eastern Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1988. pp. 55-60.