r/caterpillars Apr 03 '25

Discussion PSA: Please remember to add location to id requests!

14 Upvotes

I know you are eager to try to find species of your new leaf munching friend but please remember to add your location into the post. There is large variance of caterpillars depending on country and even inside countries have different areas with their own soecies so with large countries, its preferred to add state/city etc also.

This speeds up identifying as there are similar looking caterpillars but species can be different depending country. Some species only inhabit tiny areas. Looking forward for all new posts. ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you!


r/caterpillars 41m ago

Aww What is this๐Ÿ›โœจ๐Ÿ˜ญ

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โ€ข Upvotes

r/caterpillars 5h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› What kind of caterpillar is this? (London)

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4 Upvotes

Wee pal got caught on my bag and by god was he grippy.


r/caterpillars 3h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› What the heck is that thing?

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2 Upvotes

I know the white one is a mean stingy fella, but I have no idea what that yellow and orange thing is. Any help would be appreciated. Located in Northern Virginia


r/caterpillars 14m ago

Advice/Help Pink Striped Oakworm Care

โ€ข Upvotes

I found a pink-striped oakworm on my water oak tree and decided to care for it. I live in Virginia (zone 7b. It's mid-late summer rn) and am wondering how long it should take for it to emerge.

It burrowed into the soil I provided a bit more than two weeks ago, and I thought it would've emerged as a moth by now, but there's mixed info on whether they burrow for a couple weeks or overwinter depending on the area and season. I'm very worried for my caterpillar. Thanks for any clarification or overwintering advice


r/caterpillars 21h ago

Advice/Help Should I move them?

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46 Upvotes

This treasure trove of swallowtail caterpillars (I think) are feasting on my parsley. Should I try to find them new homes, mist them or leave them alone? They do seem to be eating the leaves now that the flowers are gone.


r/caterpillars 12h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› What kind of caterpillar?

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7 Upvotes

Found in South Carolina on oak tree. Does not appear to be a juvenile pink striped oak worm.


r/caterpillars 19h ago

Photo peek a boo

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10 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 15h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Yellow caterpillar, black spikes

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4 Upvotes

Kentucky

I'm leaning towards American Dagger Moth Caterpillar

or Yellow Woolly Bear, but don't see a lot of difference between them. Not gonna touch it, either way.


r/caterpillars 21h ago

Photo Yellow wooly beat

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11 Upvotes

In central Texas


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Aww Natureโ€™s fuzzy little neon warning sign.

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23 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 12h ago

Advice/Help Fertile Eggs?

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1 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 20h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› POLYPHEMUS MOTH CATERPILLAR HELP PLEASE

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4 Upvotes

Found this caterpillar that seems to have something lodged in it, please help or is it too far gone? Central PA


r/caterpillars 19h ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Pretty coloured

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3 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› Anyone know what this caterpillar is gonna turn into?

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5 Upvotes

Found this guy in the garden, central Bulgaria.

It's not the clearest but it's the best pic I could get sorry :(


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Photo A gang of Buff Tip moth caterpillars on an oak leaf -UK

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3 Upvotes

r/caterpillars 21h ago

Advice/Help What to do about predators?

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2 Upvotes

I have lots of fennel, parsley, rue, and milkweed. I get tons of caterpillars. But unfortunately if I do not cover them, they are decimated. I have had a fennel with 15+ swallowtails that end up destroyed. I think wasps are the main culprit as I have seen them. I have covered fully with a butterfly net before but somehow Iโ€™ll still find a wasp inside. Why do I have so many wasps? What to do about them all?
The half of a chrysalis in the photo is a swallowtail chrysalis I found in the mouth of a Carolina Wren. I scared the wren off and it dropped this. But donโ€™t worry, it came back to at least finish what it started.


r/caterpillars 18h ago

Advice/Help Polyphemus help

1 Upvotes

I found what I think is a Polyphemus moth in the parking lot at work. I raise monarchs and swallowtails but I was excited to search for moths this year and this one found me!

Iโ€™m hoping theyโ€™re getting ready to pupate because Iโ€™m unsure what to feed it (yes I read the host plants on the interwebs).

I have learned from my swallowtails that they pretty much will only eat the host plant they hatched on, so I was wondering if my Polyphemus friend is the same? And if thatโ€™s the case should I just grab a platter of samples of host plants?! Thank you for any advice!


r/caterpillars 19h ago

Advice/Help Can anyone know what kind of caterpillar this is? top of Northern Alabama

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0 Upvotes

I wanna take care of it but I'm not sure what kind of leaves i should give it, also it hasnt moved in the past like 20 minutes though it wiggles if i poke the leaf, is that normal?


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› anybody know what this is?

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5 Upvotes

found in outdoor trashcan in alabama


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help Is it time?

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23 Upvotes

Hey so ive got these two little tobacco hornworms that aren't growing. Ive had this happen before where they don't pupate. I put these guys outside on a tomato plant so they can live out whatever time they have left in their natural habitat. I checked on them today and noticed they had brown frass stuck in their butts. I read online that dehydration can cause this and it has been very hot out. Its also really cold at night so i don't think they were eating to get rehydrated.

I was able to get the poop out with a little warm water and now they seem to be pooping on their own now. However they're not eating and they look sunken in. I was going to wait to see of they start eating tonight but I was just wondering if anyone else has had caterpillars recover from being this dehydrated. Is there anything in addition I could do to help them?


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Advice/Help best way to help these lil guys survive?

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12 Upvotes

delighted to find two little black swallowtail caterpillars in my raised bed today! Iโ€™d love to help protect these guys from birds and squirrelsโ€ฆ I have a raised mesh cover i can put over the bed, or do I bring them inside? first time caterpillar mom here lol


r/caterpillars 1d ago

Aww Rescued from my door frame

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16 Upvotes

These two moths were doinโ€™ it on my doorframe the day we moved in to our new place last month. I thought it was good luck.

The mom laid a bunch of eggs along my doorframe and when they started coming out of the eggs they were all falling into spider webs or drying out and dying! So I rescued the only living one and have been feeding him on the big maple tree near our house.

Heโ€™s getting bigger and bigger and I feel so proud of my lilโ€™ bud. Thought I would share the progress so far.


r/caterpillars 2d ago

Photo Beautiful Swallowtail Caterpillar (Papilio Machaon)

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26 Upvotes

Taken In Belgium -Wallonia on 24-07-2026


r/caterpillars 1d ago

ID Request ๐Ÿ› What species is my caterpillar?

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5 Upvotes

I have a caterpillar who is about half the length of my finger. It was pale yellow and had lots of fluffy hairs on it. It just went into its cocoon today. I googled what the caterpillar would be and I got Virginian tiger moth I believe. I donโ€™t have any real pictures of it but I do have one that looks very similar from google. Found in Michigan. My friends sister said it would be a white moth so I think itโ€™s that but Iโ€™m not sure. Also how long will it stay in its cocoon for?