Horned caterpillars are creep worm which are the larva of moths and butterfly . The “ horns ” on some character of caterpillars are used in defense to guard off potential predators . Some types of hornworms have a horn - similar tail that they waggle to fright other creature . Other horned caterpillars have spiky - looking structures giving the cat a horned appearance .
Allspecies of caterpillars , including horned ace , go to the insect orderLepidoptera . Caterpillars protrude off as eggs before developing into larvae that look like fat worm . During their larval stage , Caterpillar are voracious eater and can increase their weight by thousands of time . Before turning into a moth or butterfly stroke , caterpillars enter the pupal stage where metamorphous occurs .
Having horns is just one identify feature of some caterpillars . Othertypes of caterpillars can be hirsute , furry , orstriped . Althoughgreen caterpillarsare the most uncouth eccentric , tusk caterpillars can also beblack , yellowed , or multicolored .
In this article , you will larn about the various kinds of tusk caterpillars such as Dragon - head cat , Tomato Hornworm , Hickory Horned Devil caterpillar and more . Pictures , descriptions of caterpillar , and their scientific names will help identify different caterpillar coinage .
Horned Caterpillar Identification
Identifying types of horned caterpillar is easy as you just have to look for the spiny structures that look like horns . In some species , Caterpillar have a saddle horn on their tail assembly terminal . Some unripe caterpillars have a pair of trumpet on their heads . Other big Caterpillar have spiky - looking horn on various part of their bodies .
designation of horned caterpillars is also potential by noting their markings and types of plants they feast on . Although horns on caterpillar can make them look scary , most horned caterpillars are nottypes of stinging caterpillar .
Types of Horned Caterpillars With Pictures and Common Names
get ’s look in more item at the different kind of enthralling horn caterpillars you may notice in your garden or yard .
Dragon-Headed Caterpillar (Polyura athamas)
The green dragon - head caterpillar has 4 horns on its head and snowy markings on its sides
Looking like a prospicient unripened slug , the Draco - head cat is place by its 4 long curl horns on its capitulum . The name “ dragon - headed ” caterpillar is appropriate as its head has a mythical dragon - look . Although its horns give this caterpillar a menacing look , this cat is completely harmless and wo n’t sting you .
These green horned dragon caterpillars are aboriginal to Indonesia and central Asia .
After metamorphizing , the firedrake - headed caterpillar wrick into a beautiful butterfly stroke . The brown burnt umber - colored wings have chicken or emollient - distort markings on them .
horn cat recognition
A species of dark green caterpillar with 2 car horn on either side of its head . It is distinguished by lateral creamy livid grade insignia on its center segment .
Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata)
The large green tomato hornworm caterpillar has a horn tail and lily-white markings
The Lycopersicon esculentum hornworm is a orotund calcined lime - light-green color caterpillar with a horned tail . Its common name derive from the fact that it gorges on tomato leafage . Because of their color , they can be difficult to espy as they intermix into the color of the plants ’ leave . Another style to distinguish tomato moth caterpillars asunder from other Caterpillar is by is huge , outsized head .
Tomato hornwormshave cream - colour markings along the side of its body . There are also heart - corresponding markings that avail to bedevil predators . You will sometimes see tomato Caterpillar raise up the front one-half of their soundbox . This species of caterpillar is likely one of the largest caterpillar you will find in your garden .
The productive slug - like tomato caterpillar has a project horn that looks like a spike at its rear end . you could identify the tomato hornworm by its quintet - shaped markings along its sides . These assistance to tell this specie asunder from the like baccy hornworm which has diagonal stripe .
How to control tomato hornworm caterpillars
tomato plant hornworm moth caterpillars are not just a type of huge caterpillar , they are also a destructive garden pest . You will often find them munching through tomato and eggplant leaves as well as other plant from the nightshade family .
Because of their orotund size , the best way to get rid of tomato hornworms is to piece them off by hand . They are not vicious and their tail horn does n’t sting .
you’re able to also practice diatomaceous earth ( DE ) as natural , non - toxic blighter restraint for caterpillars andother insects .
Hickory Horned Devil (Citheronia regalis)
The bountiful hickory horned Beelzebub has a scary look with blue - dark-green body and orange and black horns
With a name like the hickory horned Satan , you would ask this caterpillar to depend intimidate . This sure enough lives up to its name with its “ devil - like ” show . The turquoise - unripe caterpillar has great red jagged curved horns on its nous . You will also point out smaller black horn on each of its segment .
Growing up to 6 ” ( 15 cm ) long and have a fierce appearance , you could be mistaken for thinking this is a dangerous caterpillar . However , this hickory horn devil a very placid and completely harmless caterpillar . you’re able to find these vast punch - like Caterpillar scarf out on hickory , cotton , and hazel leaf .
The hickory cat turns into the appropriately - named regal moth . This is a declamatory species of moth that has a wingspread of up to 6 ” ( 15 cm ) . The backstage of this orange moth have red striped marking and patches of white Lucy in the sky with diamonds on them .
describe by its shuddery smell and huge sizing , this is one of the big caterpillar in the globe . Look for its large scarlet and black automobile horn on its brain and small black backbone around its body section .
Other Types of Horned Caterpillars
What are the other form of horned caterpillars that you are likely to get across ? Here are some common Caterpillar , including a poisonous multifariousness of horned caterpillar .
Rosy Maple caterpillar (Dryocampa rubicunda)
The rosy maple cat has 2 black horns with light unripe and white striped body with smutty dots
This striped species of horn caterpillar is called the rosy maple moth caterpillar due to its preference for all types of maple trees . This crawling cat is also call in the “ immature - striped mapleworm . ”
you’re able to easilyidentify this dismantle caterpillarby its 2 cat valium black horns on its straits . The avoirdupois slug caterpillar has greenish - bloodless grade insignia execute the length of its trunk . However , these may change in semblance in different stage ( instar ) of the larvae ontogenesis . Black dot running around the segments also serve with caterpillar identification .
To identify the rosy maple cat , bet for the light green - colored stripy consistency , 2 black horns on its head , and small fateful spike at its rear .
Orange Striped Oakworm (Anisota senatoria)
The orange striped oakworm cat has 2 horns and black body with orangish chevron along it
A type of striped dark cat that has horns and tiny spike is the orange undress oakworm . This cat looks like a large foresightful slug with orange stripes running its distance . You will notice that these harmless Caterpillar have 2 protruding horns at its head interchangeable in visual aspect to the rosy maple caterpillar .
These thirsty caterpillars are found feeding on oak tree diagram foliage and are unwashed in statessuch as Florida , Texas , and other southerly states . After the pupal phase , striped oakworms sour into beautiful orange and pinkish moths .
mature to about ( 5 cm ) long , you’re able to easilyidentify these black caterpillarsby their orange streak , foresightful feeler - like horns , and spiky rear end .
Monarch caterpillar (Danaus plexippus)
The monarch cat has jaundiced , white-hot , and black stripe with horn on either end
The monarch caterpillar has the unusual identifying feature of horns at either death of its body . you may distinguish between the promontory and tail close as the psyche has longer ‘ antennae . ’
The immature Danaus plexippus butterfly stroke larvae await completely dissimilar from the mature ones . When fully fledged , monarch caterpillars have black , white , and yellow striped marker . Although the long horns look menacing , these are harmless Caterpillar that do n’t sting .
After the chrysalis stage , these alimentation insects turn into monarch butterfly , which some consider as themost beautiful butterfly stroke in the world .
well-situated to discover by the white-hot , black , and yellow bands wrapping around each segment . Also , look for the presence of 2 foresighted horn at one end and 2 scant single at the other . You will also find these caterpillars feeding vivaciously on silkweed .
Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta)
The great greenish tobacco hornworm caterpillar has a single horned tail
Species of caterpillar such as tobacco hornworm in the familySphingidaeare recognized by their individual pointed French horn - similar after part . The with child light-green luminous caterpillar have plump segment body , and outsize head , and eye - like markings along its face . As with many types of hornworms , it can be difficult to secernate the caput apart from its end .
Although it has the name ‘ tobacco hornworm , ’ these annoying garden pests also feed on love apple plant and eggplant leaves .
Difficult to key out from tomato hornworms as they look similar . These green Caterpillar are identified by the thin diagonal stripes on their segments . Tomato hornworms differ as they have V - shaped grading .
Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar (Deilephila elpenor)
The elephant hawk moth caterpillar has gray-haired - brown body and a little automobile horn at the tail last
The name of the elephant hawk cat comes from the way its fat gray torso looks like an elephant ’s trunk .
When the larvae mature and reach 3 ” ( 7.6 cm ) , they are a dark-brown - gray coloration with opprobrious dots along their side . However , some species are a drear gullible eccentric of cat . The caterpillar ’s horn is a small calamitous or gray spike heel pointing out at its tail end .
Native to Europe , these tedious - looking caterpillars turn into colourful pink and olive - colorful moth .
Large , bland , gray - black-market caterpillars with gravid rotund marking near their head . To name elephant hawk caterpillars , look for the diminished curving horn on the tail section .
White Admiral Caterpillar (Limenitis arthemis)
The white admiral caterpillar is a horned cat that looks like razz overlook
The white admiral caterpillar is find in North America and is one of the more unusual looking caterpillars on this listing . Two long spiky black horns protrude from one end of the caterpillar .
The unusual identifying feature of speech is the brownish and white patchy markings . This lay down the cat looks like chick muck and it can disguise itself on a branch . You will usually regain bloodless admiral caterpillars prey on birch , willow , cherry , and aspen Tree .
After they come out from the pupa , these are beautiful butterflies that are cognise for their blue iridescent colors .
The on an irregular basis shaped olive - dark-brown and blanched body with 2 twig - comparable motor horn are the way to identify this caterpillar species .
Oleander Hawk Moth Caterpillar (Daphnis nerii)
The unripened oleander monger caterpillar has pale orange horn at its hind end end
Like many green caterpillars in the familySphingidae , these voracious folio - feeder have a spiked horny tail at their stern . In some regard , oleander hawk caterpillars resemble tomato or tobacco plant hornworms .
These horned Caterpillar have green organic structure with a distinctive eye marking on their head , yield them a unknown haunting spirit . The fat light-green “ slugs ” have large prolegs in their inwardness segments . The cat are also identified by a pale bluish line feed the duration of their sides and also bluish dose in random patterns .
take care for the small curved pallid orange horn at its empennage end and glorious blue eye markings at its head .
Blue Swallowtail Caterpillar (Battus philenor)
The blue swallowtail is identified by its dark - dark-brown consistence and orange spikes or horns
The swallowtail species of cat control a number of horned variety of caterpillars . The aristocratic swallow-tailed coat , or pipevine swallowtail , appear like it has horns sticking out all over it .
Looking at movie of a blue swallowtail , you will see prospicient protruding tubercles ( horns ) at one end of its foresightful contraband body . There are also short horn sticking out of its sides and it has a line of little orange spikes on its back .
Another type of pipevine caterpillar from the same mintage is a blood - carmine coloring material . Similar to the black species , its soundbox seems to be handle in balmy horns . look closely , you will see that both the black variety and the red one is covered in fine whisker .
These caterpillars are identified by rows of subdued horn ( tubercles ) and their body have a lustrous , velvety visual aspect .
White-Lined Sphinx Horned Caterpillar (Hyles lineata)
The white - lined sphinxcaterpillar has chickenhearted and black markingson its bright unripened trunk with a horn on its back
The blanched - lined sphinx has a protruding tail end hooter that is characteristic of many fleeceable Caterpillar in the familySphingidae .
There is a lot of variation in people of colour with these horned caterpillars . Some types can have smooth black bodies with line of orangeness dots . Other kinds of these sphinx caterpillars are burnt lime green with multicolored dots that are red , yellow and black . Also , look for the 4 orange prolegs under the middle segments of its organic structure .
The describe feature of the livid - seamed sphinx caterpillar is its orange horn at the back of the body . This spiky - looking protrusion can sometimes be yellow with a black-market tip and it does n’t sting .
Rustic Sphinx Caterpillar (Manduca rustica)
The rustic sphinx caterpillar has a bombastic automobile horn and whitened strips on its green trunk
The long , sharp - looking dark dark-green horned tail is the first thing you note about the rustic sphinx cat . These light - green caterpillars are related to hornworms and other sphinx caterpillars .
The body is bright green and you will detect the segments are separate by diagonal light - coloured lines . You will also remark pocket-size orangish - carmine Zen on the side of each segment and small black dots in between segment .
To distinguish this horned caterpillar from other hornworms , await for granular bumps on its rearward cornet .
Zebra Longwing Caterpillar with Horns (Heliconius charithonia)
The zebra longwing caterpillar is a type of horned cat with many spikes
Commonly found in Texas , Florida , and Central America , zebra longwing caterpillars have sharp - looking horn sticking out in all directions . The caterpillars from the familyNymphalidae , have weak - color Asa Gray to clean torso .
The fascinating lineament of zebra caterpillars is the 6 rows of very long backbone . You will also discover that there are tiny notched spikes on these horn . The shameful Department of Transportation covering this unusual type of caterpillar just tot to its bowelless spirit .
A light gray or light turquoise dark-green body covered in blackened sharp - looking automobile horn . Feeds on plants from the passionflower family .
Saddleback Horned Caterpillar (Acharia stimulea)
The horned saddleback cat can be easily identified by its distinct green bandage on the back
One of the most frightening horned caterpillars must be the saddleback caterpillar . This caterpillar take care threatening and for good reason , this is astinging species of toxic caterpillarthat can give a nasty “ bite . ”
The first thing you will mark is the plethora of horns on this creepy - looking caterpillar . There are a twosome of thick horn at either oddment of the poisonous caterpillar . These are covered in hair’s-breadth that cause hide irritation when brushed against . There are also hooter - like protrusions along the side of the saddle roof .
The name saddleback get along from its unique markings . In fact , there is not another species of caterpillar like to this one . Thebrown spiky caterpillarbody has a Citrus aurantifolia light-green square patch on the back . There is a colored - circle in the middle which makes the caterpillar ’s back looking like a saddleback .
you may easily identify the saddleback horned cat with it 4 large spiky horn on the head and tail goal .
White-Marked Tussock Furry Horned Caterpillar (Orgyia leucostigma)
The furry white - strike off tussock cat is easily identified by its unique look
Another cat that is instantly identifiable due to its unique look is the bloodless - marked tuft . The “ horns ” on this scary - looking cat are 2 big furry “ antennae ” at its front . There is also a gravid furry - look backside at its end .
This cat is also identify by its black body and tufts of clean hairs . These haired tuft appear on its back and along its side . There are also red dot and yellow stripes on its back .
These furry horned Caterpillar are common in many states in North America all the way from Texas and Florida to Alberta in Canada .
Two prospicient haired ‘ horns ’ and a haired tail that points upward along with white tufts of hairs are the identification feature of this horn caterpillar .
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