The hawk moth caterpillar is a large caterpillar with “eyes” on the sides and a horn at the back.

The hawk moth butterfly also has a second name - the hummingbird butterfly. Some species of such amazing living creatures are listed in the Red Book. These unusual and colorful representatives of the Lepidoptera family evoke a lot of positive emotions. Few people know what to do if this insect is found in the garden or vegetable garden. Since this is a butterfly, there are also caterpillars of these insects, which are no less voracious than the caterpillars of other types of insects. But there are never enough of them to cause serious damage to the crop. In addition, these are rare species of butterflies and should not be fought against.

Where do caterpillars live?

Habitat for caterpillars
Most caterpillars live in the ground. Some of these insects live in bodies of water, while others live both on soil and in water, adapting to existence everywhere. There are two categories of larvae depending on their living conditions: secretive and free-living. The following types of larvae are classified as secretive:

Caterpillar habitat

The second variety is caterpillars that live on leaves, which they themselves eat. These are most species of larvae of the largest butterflies.

Literature

• Red Book of the Astrakhan Region / compilers: V. N. Pilipenko, M. V. Lozovskaya and others - Astrakhan: Astrakhan State University, Astrakhan University Publishing House, 2014. - P. 211-212
• Red Book of the Ivanovo Region. T. 1: Animals / Ed. V. A. Isaeva. - Ivanovo: IPK "PresSto", 2007. - P. 102
• Red Book of the Lipetsk Region. T. 2 Animals / Ed. V. M. Konstantinova. - Voronezh: Origins, 2006. - P. 215
• Red Book of the Republic of Mari El. Rare and endangered species of animals / Compiled by Kh. F. Baldaev. - Yoshkar-Ola: Publishing House of the Mari Printing Plant, 2002. - P. 123
• Red Book of the Tambov Region: Animals / R. Yu. Belevitin, E. A. Ganzha and others - Tambov: IC "Tambovpolygraphizdat", 2000. - P. 159
• Lampert K.
  Atlas of butterflies and caterpillars of Europe and partly of the Russian-Asian domains. - St. Petersburg: Edition of A. F. Devrien, 1913. - P. 135

What do caterpillars eat?

Eating caterpillars
An insect that has just been born eats the top layer of the egg in which it grew. After this, the “worm” proceeds to its main meal. Each type of larvae has its own diet. Most caterpillars eat vegetation: fruits and various green masses. Larvae can be divided into 4 categories depending on their food supply:

• Polyphages - consume all plants without exception. This species includes, for example, the caterpillars of moths.
• Oligophages - prefer to consume specific plants. For example, umbrella bushes.
• Monophagous - they eat only one type of plant. For example, silkworm larvae consume only mulberry leaves.
• Xylophages - the food base of this species is wood.

Food of caterpillars
It is worth noting certain types of caterpillars, which cannot be combined into any category, since there are few of them, but they exist:

• Caterpillars of gray or black granary moths eat only fungi of the tinder type or lichens. Poisonous spores are the main type of food for such larvae.
• There are representatives of larvae in the world that eat the outer covering of animals : particles of horns, wool, skin, hair.
• Some types of caterpillars consume wax and even honey.
• Predatory insects - there are few representatives of this species. Cases of predation occur if the population increases greatly and there is a shortage of regular food. For example, bollworm larvae attack caterpillars of their own species that are weakened or sick. Some species eat aphids, small insects and scale insects. To do this, they have special hunting devices in the form of a large mouth, sticky legs, and so on.
• Parasitic larvae settle on representatives of specific insects . Some types of larvae settle on the hairs of caterpillars. Because of this, the host insect dies.
• Certain species of caterpillars live in ant heaps . In this case, their main food is small insects. Attracting the victim occurs with the help of special sounds that the larva makes or a special sweet liquid that is secreted by its secretory functions.

Each type of caterpillar has its own diet, and it depends on the category of these larvae, their mode of existence and habitat.

Taste preferences

If you are lucky enough to see a butterfly in “haute couture camouflage” in the evening in a warm climate, then it may be an oleander hawk moth. What does this beauty eat? Like most hawk moths, the oleander species has food selectivity.

The caterpillar's diet is based on periwinkle and oleander. Despite the fact that both of these plants are poisonous, the caterpillar itself does not accumulate dangerous substances, which makes it completely defenseless. In some regions the insect may feed on grape leaves, but this occurs infrequently.

Is there anything else unusual, besides the “designer” colors, in the oleander hawk moth butterfly? Entomologists revealed interesting facts during the observation process:

1. All hawk moths, and the oleander species is no exception, do not sit on flowers while feeding. They hover over them, quickly moving their wings. From the outside it may seem that a hummingbird is fluttering over the flower. But hawk moths and hummingbirds are not related; these species are simply an example of convergent evolution.
2. The oleander hawk moth can migrate long distances. This is facilitated by the ability to develop high speed in flight. This species of butterfly is considered the fastest among lepidopteran insects; their speed can reach 50 km/h.
3. The oleander hawk moth is able to quickly pollinate a large number of flowers. This happens due to the ability to move quickly and the presence of a long proboscis.
4. A rare species of butterfly, the oleander hawk moth, was listed in the Red Book of the USSR.

To maintain the population and preserve the species, scientists recommend growing oleander plantings in resort areas in order to attract the oleander hawk moth and create conditions for it to reproduce.

Body structure of a caterpillar: description, photo

Body structure of a caterpillar
Any caterpillar consists of the following body parts:

• Torso
• Head
• Breast
• Abdomen
• Pairs of legs
• Spiracle
• Mouthparts
• Eyes

The body of such an insect consists of a head, abdomen, chest and several pairs of legs.

Hawkmoth

The structure of the head of different types of insects can be different - from the most unusual with “horns” to a real imitation of other inhabitants of the Earth, for example, snakes and even fairy dragons.

Dragon Caterpillar

Snake-like caterpillar (lat. Hemeroplanes triptolemus)

Swallowtail caterpillar, similar to a snake Pink caterpillar, royal citheronia, similar to a dragon (lat. Citheronia regalis)

The head of the larvae consists of six fused segments that form a hard capsule. In the area between the forehead and eyes, the cheek area is highlighted. At the bottom of the head there is a heart-shaped occipital foramen.

Caterpillar

The head of most caterpillars is round, although it can be triangular or rectangular. The parietal part usually protrudes, forming a "horn". Antennae grow on the sides of the head.

Saturnia butterfly caterpillar

The oral apparatus of such insects has well-formed gnawing upper jaws with teeth, thanks to which the “worm” gnaws or tears food tissue. There are tubercles on the inside that help chew food. Saliva is converted into a special spinning secretion.

Caterpillar mouth

The eyes of larvae are the simplest visual system. The eye of this insect consists of one lens. The eyes are on the head and are located one after another along an arched line. Some insects may have one eye, but it has a complex structure and is fused together from five simple lenses. There may also be another eye located on the inside of the arch. It turns out that almost every caterpillar has 5-6 pairs of eyes.

Caterpillar eyes

The body of this insect is well mobile due to the soft tissues of the shell. Consists of separate departments. The anus is closed by lobes with varying degrees of development.

Torso

spiracle is a stigma that is located on the chest. In larvae living in water, the respiratory organs are tracheal gills.

Harpy

Each caterpillar has several pairs of legs, some of them ending in specific hooks. The legs, which are located on the chest, have a sole with a claw. With its help, the insect moves by protruding or retracting its abdomen.

Caterpillar legs

The body of an insect is necessarily covered with hairs, outgrowths or cuticles of various shapes: stars, needles, cones or bristles. Shaggy villi can be located either in the form of individual threads or in the form of tufted clumps on the back or tail. Almost all the fluffy caterpillars are very beautiful and then transform into the most attractive butterflies.

Yellow hairy caterpillar

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.

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Caterpillar development: description, photo

Development of a caterpillar
Depending on the species, a butterfly larva can transform into a flying beauty from several weeks to several years. In the northern regions, the warm season does not last long, so the life cycle of the caterpillars can last two years. Some types of larvae live in the caterpillar stage for up to 12-14 years.

During its development, the larva changes in size and appearance. For example, from an ugly and naked larva it turns into a fluffy caterpillar. The caterpillar then turns into a chrysalis, from which a beautiful butterfly then emerges.

general information

Hawkmoths are amazing insects: outwardly, adult individuals resemble hummingbirds. Some species of nocturnal butterfly fly only during the day, others are active at night or in the morning. When an unusual creature with an original body and wing color appears in a garden or vegetable garden, many owners do not understand what type of butterfly it is.

Characteristics:

• the size of adult insects is up to 110 mm, the proboscis is up to 100 mm long, the wingspan is from 65 to 120 mm;
• the flight speed is impressive - up to 50 km/h;
• hummingbird butterflies hover over flowers, flutter, quickly flap their wings, and feed on sweet nectar;
• the complete cycle of transformation is characteristic of unusual creatures. First, the egg appears, then the larva (caterpillar), then the pupa and finally the adult (butterfly). The life cycle takes from 30 to 45 days; during the summer period, two generations of amazing creatures often alternate;
• The emergence of adult insects begins at the end of June. Bright creatures look spectacular against the backdrop of young greenery. Butterflies flutter around flowering trees and shrubs: pear, apple, chestnut, lilac;
• The caterpillars are large - up to 125 mm, most species have a bright color, and the original pattern on the back and sides is often noticeable. Some species are painted in fantastic colors: green with a lemon tint, white with black and yellow spots on the sides, brownish-gray with “painted” eyes on the front of the body. Growing individuals look like creatures from another planet;
• A characteristic feature of caterpillars is a “horn” at the end. The color of the formation depends on the type of butterfly, for example, in the lilac hawkmoth it is black on one side and yellow on the other, in the ocellated variety it is blue;
• Before pupation, the color of the growing insect changes. During this period of development, the caterpillar accumulates enough nutrients and then burrows into the ground. After 18 days, a beautiful butterfly emerges from the pupa. While the wings dry, the insect sits in place, as soon as it can fly, the hummingbird butterfly goes to look for a sexual partner to maintain the population;

A few more facts:

• A caterpillar is a creature that is soft to the touch, calm, and crawls quite slowly. If you take it in your hands, no unpleasant sensations or disgust appear. The growing individual sits calmly on the palm, moves slowly, and willingly “poses” for the camera.
• caterpillars feed on young leaves. The wine hawk moth eats greenery and settles on the grapevine. The larva is large, warlike in color, and has a kind of spike at the end. The creature is so unusual that many owners do not destroy the pests, but watch them, hoping to endure the unpleasant period and later see a beautiful hummingbird butterfly on the site;
• The tongue hawk moth resembles a small bird. When a beautiful creature appears at their summer cottage, many children say that they saw an unusual bird next to the flowers;
• The Death's Head Hawkmoth gets its name from its distinctive skull-like pattern on its chest, like the emblem on a pirate flag. The largest butterfly of the hawkmoth species feeds on the sap of young trees and honey. The insect often climbs straight into the hive, makes sounds reminiscent of a young queen, and steals honey without hindrance: the bees take her for a relative and do not touch her;
• the bedstraw species is most often found in the middle zone. Long proboscis, dense body, color - a combination of brown and beige, with orange areas visible on the tips of the wings.

Unusual insects are often called sphinxes. The reason is that the disturbed caterpillar raises its front part, takes on a threatening appearance, and freezes in the pose of a sphinx. Hence the name.

Types of hawk moths:

• euphorbia;
• wine;
• pine;
• hawkmoth "death's head";
• ocular;
• oleander;
• bindweed;
• lilac;
• proboscis hawk moth and others.

On a note!

There are about 1,000 species of “northern hummingbirds” on the planet. Some species make long-distance flights, migrate from one end of the country to another, or cover distances between continents.

Transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly: description, photo

The pupa is usually cylindrical or round in shape. The color of the cylinder is monochromatic - green or light green. It may have a pattern on the surface in the form of stripes, dots or spots. When a butterfly is in the pupa stage, it already has wings, legs and a proboscis.

Caterpillar pupa turns into a butterfly

Linden hawk moth (Mimas tiliae)

This caterpillar was caught on a linden tree, and when caught it was approximately the same green color as our previous hero. However, by the time of the photo shoot, she had noticeably changed her color to green-yellow. If I had read about this caterpillar earlier, I would have realized that it was already about to pupate - in the linden hawkmoth this is preceded by a change in color.

If I had immediately planted the caterpillar in the leaves and not touched it again, then perhaps I would now still have a pupa of the linden hawk moth. But I did not allow the poor creature to calmly carry out its biological program. While I was replanting, while I was taking photographs...

A day later, the caterpillar fell into a stupor, and a day later it became clear that I couldn’t see the hawkmoth pupa, because it didn’t look like a pupa at all, but like the corpse of a caterpillar that tried to make the transformation, but failed:

So, nothing worked out with the linden hawkmoth. Let's at least see what it might look like (photo from Wikipedia):

Beautiful caterpillars: name, characteristics, what it looks like, what kind of butterfly it turns out, description, photo

Nature has made even certain types of caterpillars beautiful so that we can admire their uniqueness. Their luxurious hairs and interesting colors delight you and you want to look at such a natural phenomenon without taking your eyes off.

Beautiful caterpillars of Saturnia Io

Saturnia Io (Automeris io) is a beautiful caterpillar with green hairs in the form of pompoms. It is impossible to even imagine that a larva with such a color turns into a red butterfly. She seems to look with her black eyes located on her pink-yellow lower wings.

Blue Morpho Blue Morpho

Blue Morpho - it is impossible to pass by at the sight of such a caterpillar. I want to look at every color stroke on the surface of her body. She is a dream for any artist. Transforms into a small blue butterfly.

Slug

Slug butterfly

Slug worm (Isochaetes beutenmuelleri) - looks like an ornament that is made of blue glass covered in fake snow. The fabulousness of this caterpillar is given by the fibers in the form of needles. They seem to be covered with real frost. The butterfly is a regular brown moth.

Black always goes with white - a rule that even nature follows

Probably, many have heard about the next caterpillar with horns, but not everyone has seen such an incredible beauty created by nature. We are talking about a swallowtail larva. The adult is bright yellow with four eye-shaped round black spots on the wings. Who would have thought that, being a caterpillar, the swallowtail is not bright. On the contrary, the larva is completely black with horns of the same color located throughout its body. However, in the later stages of caterpillar development, just before pupation, the black color of the body is diluted by numerous contrasting white spots.

Caterpillars with spikes: name, characteristics, what it looks like, what kind of butterfly it turns out, description, photo

Caterpillars with spikes do not look intimidating. They are beautiful, bright and interesting, you can look at them for hours. But it is better not to touch such caterpillars with your hands, since many species can be poisonous, and the spines are their weapon for protection from the enemy, through which they release poison.

Tracks with spikes

Butterfly caterpillar with spines

Caterpillar "Burning Rose" - its spines are located on the cuticles of the body. As it develops, it turns into a delicate moth with iridescent beige and greenish wings.

Spiny butterfly Aglais urticae Spiny butterfly Aglais urticae

The spiny Aglais urticae - a caterpillar that looks like a piece of black coal turns into a beautiful Peacock butterfly - bright and with an interesting color. Lives in America and mountainous forests of Asia.

Dryas Julia

Dryas Julia - Attacus atlas caterpillar is a brown and white caterpillar with black spines. Lives in Thailand and the island of Java. It turns into one of the largest butterflies in the world, with a wingspan of up to 25 centimeters.

Summarizing what has been said

In fact, there are a great variety of caterpillars with horns in nature. There is simply no point in listing them all in one article, because the text can turn out to be as long as the well-known masterpiece of the Russian classic “War and Peace.” We introduced you only to the brightest and most unusual larvae, which nature has awarded with one or more horns. I would like to say that without exception, all caterpillars endowed with this attribute use it as self-defense. They deftly take advantage of the moment, curling up into a ball during danger, and then sharply throw their tail and horn towards the enemy. Remember that nature created caterpillars to be admired, not to be experimented on or destroyed.

Poisonous caterpillars: name, characteristics, what it looks like, what kind of butterfly it turns out, description, photo

A person should be wary of poisonous caterpillars. You cannot pick them up or even come close. Many species cause a burning sensation on the skin upon contact with the insect’s body, while others can even be life-threatening: breathing rhythm is disrupted, heart palpitations, headaches, and so on occur.

Poisonous caterpillars

Poison caterpillar butterfly

Flannel Moth - This poisonous caterpillar looks like a small hamster. Her butterfly is no less beautiful. But it is strictly forbidden to touch it with your hands, as it causes an allergic reaction and even a feeling of suffocation.

Lazy clown caterpillar

Lazy clown caterpillar butterfly

The “lazy clown” caterpillar (lat. Lonomia obliqua) lives in Uruguay. A highly poisonous insect that secretes a special natural toxin. The venom of this caterpillar causes skin burns. In addition, the toxin can penetrate through the skin to internal organs and cause hemorrhage, for example, in the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and also causes pulmonary edema and disruption of the central nervous system.

Saturnia Mayan caterpillar

Saturnia Maya caterpillar butterfly

Saturnia Maya caterpillar (Hemileuca maia) -

covered with hollow spines, upon contact with which, a burning sensation on the skin, rash and nausea appears.
The appearance of this caterpillar should be frightening, because a crawling, hairy insect with black spines will disgust any person. This caterpillar lives in our latitudes on oaks and willows. The butterfly from this caterpillar is also black in color with a hairy body, but it is not poisonous. Volyanka caterpillar

Orgyia leucostigma
caterpillar butterfly

— you won’t be able to pass by such a caterpillar, since it is noticeable thanks to its red head and white body.
Eats everything green and woody in its path. If you touch the hairs of this insect, burns and irritation immediately occur. The rash may not go away for several weeks. White Cedar Moth Caterpillar White Cedar Moth Caterpillar Butterfly
White Cedar Moth Caterpillar (Leptocneria reducta)

- lives on a cedar tree in several groups at the same time, eating every single leaf. Contact with the hairs of this caterpillar causes irritation, but not for all people. If a person has sensitive skin, they will most likely feel a burn and develop a rash.

Remember: Beautiful caterpillars are almost always poisonous. Their bright colors are designed to scare away predators. Therefore, if you see, for example, a blue caterpillar with an orange head or a green caterpillar with bright red, blue or black spots, try not to touch such insects with your hands and move away from them.

Oleander hawk moth: introduction

It is very difficult to enjoy the beauty of this butterfly. Nature has come up with the perfect camouflage for its wonderful creation. The oleander hawk moth is quite large with a large wingspan. The insect's front wings measure up to 52 mm. In span they can be up to 125 mm. The front wings are painted with whitish and pink wavy stripes. The inner corner of the front wings is decorated with a large purple elongated spot.

The insect's hind wings resemble the work of an unknown artist. From the base to the middle they are painted in blackish shades, and from the center to the edge - in greenish-brown colors. The butterfly (see photo below) has color zones separated by a white stripe.

The body of the oleander beauty is elongated, sharply tapering towards the rear. The chest is colored gray-green. The abdomen has a pleasant olive color. The first abdominal segments are surrounded by a border of white hairs. Then on each side there are beveled olive stripes.

Interesting facts about caterpillars

Caterpillars are amazing insects. Ordinary people don’t know much about them and think that they are ordinary worms that crawl through trees. Only entomological specialists know everything about caterpillars. Here are interesting facts about these insects:

• Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, has flourished on Earth since ancient times. Caterpillars occupy a place of honor among gourmets. They are eaten raw, dried, fried, with sauces, and omelettes.
• The silkworm caterpillar is specially bred in many countries. From 100 kg of cocoons, 9 kilograms of silk thread are obtained.
• The color of any caterpillar imitates the living conditions of this insect. This is an excellent means of camouflage and protection.
• The caterpillar's body contains 4,000 muscles. For comparison, a person has only 629 of them.
• During the first two months of life, the caterpillar eats a lot of plant food, which helps it increase in size up to 20,000 times its original weight.
• Caterpillars that live in northern latitudes do not have time to complete the entire development cycle in one season, and therefore they remain overwintering in cocoons. It is worth noting that in this state the caterpillar can withstand frost temperatures down to -70 degrees.
• Some types of caterpillars live in anthills, making special sounds and secreting enzymes. The ants think that the caterpillar is their queen, so they feed it and take care of it.
• Certain species of caterpillars become poisonous due to the food they eat. For example, the caterpillars of the moss bear feed on poisonous ragwort. Their body begins to release toxins, making these insects a threat to animals and people.

Caterpillars are amazing creatures of nature. There are many different species, and almost all of them turn into beautiful and graceful butterflies that adorn our lives.

Reproduction

A male and female tongue mate mate in the air or while sitting on a branch. The process takes about an hour. For laying, the fertilized female chooses plants on which the caterpillars can feed. The food species for them are bedstraw, a family of herbs and shrubs, and chickweed, a flowering plant from the carnation family. Most of these herbs are weeds, some contain toxic substances.

The tongue hawk moth lays eggs one at a time, attaching them with an adhesive substance to a leaf or stem of a weed. The eggs are round, 1 mm in diameter, pale green, glossy in color. The larva appears after 6-8 days. At birth they are 2-3 mm long. At first they are yellow, in the second instar the color changes to green and is covered with yellow dots. They feed abundantly and grow quickly. Caterpillars prefer to feed in the upper part of plants. After passing through five instars, the face turns red, falls to the ground and pupates. Under favorable conditions and sufficient nutrition, the larval stage takes three weeks.

The color of the pupa is light brown, length 30-35 mm. in the area of ​​the wings and spiracles there are dark brown dots. The proboscis is marked by a keel-shaped convexity. The back ends with a sharp spike. Many pupae die due to parasites that lay eggs in them. The main enemies of hawk moths:

1. Braconid wasps are ichneumon wasps found throughout the world. They lay eggs on caterpillars.
2. Tachydes are dipterous insects that are internal parasites of insects.

Proboscis hawk moths go through 1-2 generations per season. Pupae and butterflies remain for the winter. Adults hide in rock cracks, tree bark, and buildings. Insects fall into a state of suspended animation. They spend minimally accumulated energy. In temperate and northern latitudes, where winter temperatures drop well below zero degrees, butterflies cannot survive.

The number of hawk moths is difficult to predict. In addition to climatic factors, their population is influenced by regular migrations. The first generation, appearing in May and June, consists almost entirely of migrants arriving from southern countries. The second generation butterflies, emerging from the pupa in August-October, partially remain for the winter, but a large number of insects go south. On the territory of Crimea and Kuban, the common hawk moth produces three generations per year.

Common Dipper / Tyria jacobaeae

This species acquires toxicity as a result of eating a poisonous plant - Jacobea vulgaris. The ability to eat plantings of a poisonous plant is widely used by farmers in Australia and New Zealand to destroy a dangerous weed.

Because of the red coloring of her body, she is also called the Bloody Bear. The caterpillar eats the plant and becomes poisonous itself. They are not dangerous to humans, but pose a threat to birds that eat them.

A small number of these butterflies, and, consequently, caterpillars, were discovered in the Mozhaisk district of the Moscow region. Over the past 40 years, there has been a decline in the number of this butterfly species, which is why many states have adopted laws to protect the species.

By the way, on our website most-beauty.ru there is a fascinating article about the most poisonous and dangerous insects in Australia.

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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.

Queen of Terror

Perhaps the death's head, like no other butterfly, is shrouded in legends and superstitions. The pattern in the form of a skull has not left creative and simply impressionable people indifferent for centuries.

The king of horror, the American writer Edgar Poe, dedicated his story “The Sphinx” to her. The story takes place against the backdrop of a terrible epidemic in New York. Friends, fleeing from trouble, self-isolate in a secluded house, expect to spend time reading books, fishing, walking in the forest, but every morning brings them bad news - more and more people are getting sick, friends are dying.

Reading it is now more important than ever. Here is a tiny excerpt describing the Sphinx:

In May 1889, Vincent Van Gogh painted a painting he called "Hawk Moth Death's Head." He captured a butterfly he encountered in the garden of the hospital where he was staying.

Hickory Dipper / Lophocampa caryae

Another fluffy, dangerous caterpillar that lives in North and Central America. The white fluffy creature looks completely harmless.

It does not have poison, but the hairs have barbs that can damage the skin. Inflammation is observed in the damaged areas. The area becomes itchy and later develops an unpleasant rash. One of the few that can bite.

It grows no more than 3 cm. Development occurs in late spring and early summer. People with allergies should especially stay away from them.

12

When is it dangerous to help?

One day a man found a butterfly cocoon and took it home. He decided to observe the transformation process. The cocoon opened, and for several hours in a row this man observed the difficulties the butterfly had to go through in order to get out. She tried to get out through the small hole for quite a long time and suddenly the moment came when it seemed to him that the butterfly had given up and stopped fighting. It looked like she was stuck and completely motionless.

Taking pity on her, the man decided to help her and cut off the cocoon. Thanks to this, the butterfly got out of the cocoon, but its body was swollen like a caterpillar, its wings were small and unopened. The man expected her wings to strengthen and grow and her body to transform, but nothing else happened. The butterfly pitifully dragged its swollen body in a circle, now doomed to do this for the rest of its life.

Man, out of his kindness, did not understand that he had interfered with the natural process of nature. The efforts that the butterfly made were simply necessary for metamorphosis. Making its way through the narrow opening of the cocoon, the liquid from the butterfly's body would pass into the wings, making them large and strong for flight. By depriving the butterfly of its struggle, man doomed it to a miserable existence and deprived it of a wonderful future. Likewise, people become strong and successful and transform into a better image only when they go through certain difficulties and put in a lot of effort.

https://www.lepidopterolog.ru/metamorf#:

https://www.krasnouhie.ru/zhiznennyj-cikl-babochek-metamorfoz-razvitie-babochki.html

https://www.danaida.ru/obsh/razm.htm

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.

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Grape thrips

Grape thrips (Drepanothrips reuteri) is still a rare and not very harmful pest of grapes.

Thrips are small, 0.6-2 mm long, slender insects. Some of them are wingless, while others have four narrow wings bordered with long hairs. The presence of blisters on their legs allows them to move on any smooth surface. Their feeding method - piercing the plant's integument and sucking out the juices - can cause serious damage.

When a grape bush is damaged early, delays in spring regrowth occur. Damaged young leaves curl and turn brown, starting from the edges. Small, light spots with transverse stripes may form on shoots, tendrils and pedicels.

Control measures: regular inspection of the condition of grape bushes and rooting cuttings will help to identify the pest in time. Spraying once or twice, with an interval of 7-10 days, with an organophosphorus preparation, for example Karbofos or BI-58, will solve the problem. You can also use the drug Fitoverm, Aktara. Removing weeds and loosening the soil under the bushes will reduce the likelihood of the pest reappearing.

Grape thrips

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.

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Mealybug

If the grapes look drooping and white fluff appears on them, then this is a mealybug attack. When affected by it, the leaves and clusters dry out and lose their presentation.

When it appears, the old bark must be peeled off and burned. When the pest population is large, the following drugs will help: Aktara, Actellik, Golden Spark, Confidor. Treatment should begin in early May, when female mealybugs lay eggs.

Fight ants that carry this pest. For example, pour boiling water over an anthill.

In conclusion, I would like to add that grapes can also be affected by whiteflies and leafhoppers, but less frequently than the listed pests. The biological products Aktara, Akarin, and Iskra help to cope with them.

High humidity may cause snails or slugs to appear. Mechanical collection and sprinkling with table salt will help.

It is also worth mentioning wasps and birds, which are helpers and pollinators during the flowering of grapes, and malicious pests when fruits appear. To combat wasps, traps are used to prevent birds from getting to the grapes using netting.

Any pests in large numbers can destroy a huge amount of crops. Therefore, prevention, timely detection and extermination of harmful insects are very important.

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.

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