Green caterpillars are one of the most recognizable ( and often unwanted ) visitant to your garden , and are often found crunch on the leaves of various cosmetic and edible plant , shrub , and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
For the most part , caterpillars are harmless to humans but some may stimulate hide discomfort when touched , or even spit acid in DoD ! So , it ’s a good estimate to key out any green cat first before attempting to pass on - pick it .
If you need to jazz what you ’re dealing with , this A to Z guide will take you through the 32 most common unripe caterpillars in your yard and how to identify them by their size , markings , spines or spikes , the plants they ordinarily feed on , and thetypes of butterfliesorpretty garden mothsthey turn into .
Disclosure : If you snitch from my article or make a purchase through one of my links , I may receive commission on some of the products I recommend .
How to identify green caterpillars
caterpillar are the larva of various species of moth or butterflies . When identifying a green cat , it ’s important to remember that caterpillars go through multiple moult and life stages ( known as instars ) and may not always face like the pictures below .
Young caterpillars may be light in colour or have different markings and other strong-arm characteristics ( such as stripe , spikes , or horn ) than mature caterpillar , which often turn brown the right way before they pupate . So besides appearance , consider the type of plant it ’s crawling or feeding on to help you determine what form of caterpillar is in your garden .
Related : How to identify the most coarse stripy caterpillarsin your yard
For easiness of ID , the pictures and descriptions below are of matured cat before they enter pupation .
Recommended Cartesian product for cat control :
Common types of green caterpillars
Angle shades moth caterpillar
The angle shades caterpillar is a member of the Noctuidae family and is relatively small compare to other types of caterpillars . Its coloring is green with a layer of white lines run down the sides , but there can also be illustration where the skin is brownish - immature with reddish spots running down the sides alongside the lines .
Host plants for slant shades larvae admit common nettles , record hop , docks , red valerian , hazel , bramble , birches , and oaks .
Black swallowtail caterpillar
Theblack swallowtail caterpillaris a species that vary color as it matures . vernal Caterpillar are smutty with white saddles , but mature into a bright green colour layer with black stripes down the English .
The chevron can also have yellow DoT on top of them which makes this coinage one of the easy to place thanks to its excise feature article . These colors grow nearer together and meet at the head of the caterpillar .
The shameful morning coat caterpillar has a glandular defense mechanism ( cry an osmeterium ) on its head to protect against predators . The osmeterium resembles an orange forked tongue and can be evert ( turned within out ) when the cat feels threatened , release a afoul odor that kind of smack like rancid citrus .
If you ’re unsure whether you ’ve fall across a black swallowtail caterpillar , you’re able to lightly squeeze the front part of the body and see if the osmeterium pops out — but keep in mind this can release an aroma .
Black swallowtail larvae feed on cultivated carrot tops , parsley , dill weed , finocchio , Queen Anne ’s lace , and rue .
Cabbage looper caterpillar
The cabbage inchworm cat can easy be identify by its classifiable movement : It arc its back or “ loops ” as it edge along . Its appearance is characterized by fine hairs ( almost like peach fuzz ) that grow on the intact open of the body .
Cabbage loopers can grow to be around 4 centimeters ( 1.5 inches ) and they are ferocious feeders , eating plant fabric that count three prison term their own trunk system of weights . This makes them one of the most serious and destructive garden pest , and very hard to get rid of once established .
True to their name , the larvae feed on cabbage and other member of the brassica family , includingkale , broccoli , brussels sprouts , and turnip . However , cabbage loopers may also attack spinach , dinero , Apium graveolens dulce , cucumbers , andtomatoesin the absence seizure of cruciferous plants , as well as strawberry mark that are planted near leafy greens .
Cabbage white caterpillar (imported cabbageworm)
The cabbage white caterpillar ( also known as the imported Pieris rapae ) is one of the most common form of caterpillars that you ’ll come across . Often found in gardens munching on all sort of veggie such as Brassica oleracea italica , cabbage , dough , and bok choy , this cat ’s body is fluent , slender , and swooning green in color .
Cabbage white larvae are esurient eaters , which can be a vast job for nurseryman who like to grow brassicas . Just a handful of these caterpillars can decimate an total crop in a matter of days !
Though they ’re sometimes false for dough inchworm ( another type of caterpillar that feeds on brassicas ) , cabbage white caterpillars do not double up as they crawl .
The legal age of cabbage white caterpillars are totally light green , but others may also have yellow coloring or yellow grading .
Cecropia moth caterpillar
The genus Cecropia moth caterpillar is one of the easiest caterpillars to identify because of its impressive sizing and striking appearance . It start life as a yellow-bellied or light unripe caterpillar , gradually maturing into a blue - green colour .
This cat has a carinate appearance that ’s layer with blue , orange , and yellowed protuberances across the integral body as well as little black capitulum that behave as a defence chemical mechanism against predatory animal . The bluish hump are often find oneself running the length of each side .
Cecropia moth larvae are exceptionally large and can spring up to be around 10 centimeters ( 4.5 in ) .
The caterpillars mainly feed on apple , cherry tree , plum , elderberry , box elder , birch , maple , and willow tree , but will also fertilise on lilac , linden , elm , and sassafras .
Cloudless sulphur caterpillar
The cloudless sulphur caterpillar ( also write as cloudless sulfur cat ) is identified by a immature or yellowish - gullible dead body go with by blue or yellow “ racing ” stripes down the side , and either opprobrious or blue dots all over the body .
It also has ok hair that grow along the body , predominantly on the feet and abdomen . This caterpillar can produce to be between 4 to 4.5 centimeters ( 1.6 to 1.8 inches ) long , and what ’s unique about this species is that its color can be altered depending on the food for thought it eats .
For example , cloudless sulphur larvae that feed only on immature leafage are usually a spectacular shade of green , whereas those that feed on yellow heyday petals tend to bend a bright icteric .
Their host plants include sennas , partridge peas , common sensitive plants , clovers , and other legumes .
Copper underwing caterpillar
The copper underwing caterpillar is a large specimen that ’s often mistaken for a hornworm ( which I discuss further down this listing ) . It has a pale green body that appear translucent during the former stages , eventually maturing into a drear green accompanied by yellow stripes along the sides and many small , scattered yellow DoT .
The key identifier with this caterpillar is a big , pop out bump at the posterior , and in a ripe caterpillar , there ’s also a colored confidential information that looks like a horn at the conclusion .
pig underwing caterpillars are plump in coming into court and will lift the front part of their bodies when resting . They also have more leg than most other caterpillars : four pairs of prolegs as well as three distich of frontal leg . This a intermediate - sized caterpillar , averaging less than 4.5 centimetre ( 1.75 inches ) in duration .
Larval hosts include many woody trees and shrubs , including Malus pumila , cherry , maple , oak , walnut , hawthorn , hickory , willow , linden tree , blueberry , hoot , grapevine , greenbrier , lilac , viburnum , and Virginia crawler .
Cross-striped cabbageworm
The cross - striped cabbageworm may be called a louse but it ’s actually one of the three main caterpillar pests on brassica crop ( the other two being simoleons white cat and cabbage looper caterpillar ) .
It can be identified by its small body ( about 1 to 1.5 centimeters , or 0.4 to 0.6 inches long ) that ’s bluish - green on top and low-cal putting green on the bottom , with a yellow line down each side and legion black band across the back . It also has fine hair all over its eubstance .
Cross - stripy cabbageworms are quite destructive , and just a few larva can completely skeletonize a works . They ’re a serious problem for brassica crops , including Brassica oleracea italica , kale , Brassica oleracea botrytis , collards , and of row , cabbage .
Crowned slug moth caterpillar
The top slug caterpillar is one of the quirkiest - looking and most recherche caterpillar on this leaning , despite being relatively small ( around 1.5 cm , or 0.6 inches , long ) . It ’s easy identified by its distinctive ellipse shape with plumes of stinging hairs around the perimeter and shorter twinge hairs on top , ease up it an intimidating spiky show .
This caterpillar also has two yellow lines down the back that terminate in a pair of “ horn ” on the front , along with a pair of prick plumes on the rear . on the whole , these feature help dissuade predators and protect the caterpillar from being eaten .
Stings from this caterpillar can irritate if you touch on it , so be sure to wear glove if you hand - plunk it off your plants .
Crowned slug larvae provender on on the leaf of various trees , including cherry tree , oak tree , maple , beech , elm , and basswood .
Diamondback moth caterpillar
The diamondback caterpillar is one of the smallest immature caterpillars you ’ll come across as it ’s only about 1 centimeter ( 0.4 inch ) long .
It has a pallid fleeceable body , five duet of prolegs ( with the back pair forming a five figure at the rear ) , and a black or brown drumhead . The body is cover in tiny white spots with black spiny hairs coming out of them .
Diamondback larvae feed on all cruciferous veggie crops , include brussels sprouts , collards , kale , kohlrabi , Indian mustard , and radishes .
Since the cat are so little , they often are n’t noticed right away until the damage is done . They can badly stunt the growth of brassica seedling or cut off head establishment in cabbage , Brassica oleracea italica , and cauliflower .
Dragonhead caterpillar (dragon-headed caterpillar)
The dragonhead caterpillar ( or dragon - headed caterpillar ) is one of those things that looks like it could be a mythical warlord in a video game . This typical cat has a slug - regulate , dark green body cover in a layer of spur and white and yellow stripes , often with a decorative curl on the end .
But what seduce it truly capture are the telltale “ head capsules ” that resemble four trumpet — a menacing - look feature entail to resist off predators . Despite these intimidate hooter - like projections that give the cat its name , the dragonhead caterpillar is completely harmless .
What ’s interesting about this special green cat is that it technically is n’t a species of its own ; it ’s a larval stage that ’s shared among 400 species of butterflies .
That means each dragonhead caterpillar may disagree slimly in appearance , with some own black heads and pass ejection seat ( that make it look like they ’re wearing helmet ) while others may have lowly red horns between the head capsules , unlike markings and colors , or even vicious stings if you attempt to pick them up .
Dragonhead larvae feed on the leaves of various members of the Fabaceae family , including acacia , black cutch , needle bush , nemu tree , copperpod , and monkeypod .
Emperor moth caterpillar
As a phallus of the Saturniidae family , the Saturnia pavonia moth caterpillar is one of the largest sort of gullible caterpillars you may find , growing to about 6 centimeters ( 2.4 inches ) long .
Like most caterpillars , the Saturnia pavonia moth caterpillar changes coloring material with each instar , becoming progressively greener with fine , spiky calamitous tomentum that protrude from wort - similar projection all over the consistency .
The base of these hairs can either be white , jaundiced , or pink , and though this makes the caterpillars calculate intimidate , they are completely harmless and will not sting or poisonous substance on contact ( though if you do examine to pick them up , you might experience slight skin irritation ) .
Emperor moth larvae feed on a variety of tree and shrubs including heathers , hawthorn , meadowsweet , blackthorn , alder buckthorn , sallows , birches , brambles , and hazel .
European puss moth caterpillar
The European puss moth caterpillar has a lot of strange thing going for it : an imposingly large size of it ( growing up to 8 centimeter , or 3.1 inches , long ) , a bulbous head outlined in red with two fateful spots resembling eye ( making it appear much scarier to a vulture ) , and two whip - corresponding black “ tails ” with extendable red flagellae ( which wave when threatened ) .
Although the legal age of green caterpillar are harmless , the European puss moth caterpillar is one to avoid as it can call on strong-growing if you strain to touch on it . This cat is have intercourse for spray formic pane on you ( or any attacker ) in defence reaction !
European pus moth larvae feed on the leaves of tree diagram , preferring poplars , aspen , and willow .
Fall webworm
The capitulation webworm is a very little green cat , growing to be around 2.5 centimeters ( 1 inch ) long . Its body is usually a shade of green with a hint of yellow , with tenacious , thin spikelet that adhere out over the entire control surface . It is furred to the pinch due to these fine hairs but is only harmless .
On top of the green body , you might remark a variety of black or chicken dots as well as benighted gray-haired markings circulate out along the segments .
The people of color of the fall webworm is dependant on the environment and home ground they live in , with fully light-green caterpillars living in warmer climate while darker colour dusk webworms are usually found in cold climates .
The fall webworm beget its name from the caterpillar ’s power to make white , silken , tent - same anatomical structure on host flora . Fall webworms are look at serious cuss on ornamental and edible trees because of their ability to defoliate an entire Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
The larvae feed on just about any type of deciduous tree , including black walnut tree , American elm , hickory , maple , pecan , persimmon , and other fruit tree in the easterly United States , and alder tree , willow , cottonwood , and yield trees in the westerly United States . You ’ll also obtain them chewing on the leaves of mulberry , madrone , and American sycamore .
Genista caterpillar (sophora worm)
The genista caterpillar ( also known as the sophora worm ) is identified by its yellowish - green soundbox blob with black and white Zen . Long , okay white fuzz stick out from each of these DoT , giving the caterpillar a spiky appearance .
Genista Calluna vulgaris moths are name for the plant they favor , and the larvae feed on brooms ( Genista species ) and Scotch broom , Texas mountain laurel ( Sophora secundiflora ) , lupin , acacia , and down in the mouth wild indigo or assumed indigotin .
Green cloverworm
dark-green cloverworms have slender , pallid unripened body with one or two lily-white streak reach out down each side , and three pairs of prolegs in the midsection of their bodies .
When impact , the caterpillar jiggle violently in defense lawyers , but are otherwise harmless .
Despite being fairly small at around 2.5 to 3 centimeters ( 1 to 1.2 inches ) long , immature cloverworms are quite destructive to commercial-grade soybean crops and other legumes such as clover , alfalfa , beans , cowpeas , and vetch .
The larvae feed in the middle of the leave of these plants , rather than on the edges , but seldom cause lasting damage to crops since immature cloverworms are susceptible to disease and attacks by parasite and pathogen .
Hackberry emperor caterpillar
The sugarberry emperor cat has a light green trunk with tiny yellow - white bulge all over . These protrusion are arranged in such a elbow room to form minute stripes down the back and sides . On the rear , it has two small pointy tails .
The bottom of the cat ’s head is green with short green spur , while the top of its head is browned with a brace of black horns .
Hackberry emperor Caterpillar can spring up up to 4 centimeter ( 1.5 in ) long and their discreet coloring avail them stay camouflaged among green leaf , allow them to go unnoticed for farseeing periods of time .
They get their name from their only host plant life , the hackberry tree diagram , where the butterfly lay their orchis and the larvae feed on the leaves .
Hickory horned devil caterpillar
Hold on to your hat , this caterpillar is quite a slew ! The hickory tusk devil cat might sound and look a little scarey , but it put no risk to humanity and can safely be handle .
It has a brown headway , a dreary immature eubstance covered in black spines , and pitch-black prolegs . The two soundbox segments toward the front have four long motor horn - alike projections each that are brown at the base and black at the tip . These eight horns curve back and appear to have little spikes on them , ease up the cat its violent appearance and name .
But what make it even more astounding is its ripe size : The caterpillar set forth out flyspeck but extend to moult and mature and in a issue of week , achieve an average sizing of 15 centimeter ( that ’s 6 inches ! ) long with “ horns ” that are sometimes 2 centimetre ( 3/4 column inch ) long . This make it the big cat in the United States ! ( About the size of a turgid hot dog , in case you ’re wondering . )
The imposing larvae can be found on various trees including hickory , walnut , pecan , sweetgum , persimmon , and sumac .
Imperial moth caterpillar
The imperial moth caterpillar can be a morsel tricky to place , as its color can either be greenish or brown , reckon on genetics and host plants . Caterpillars that feed on true pine are more likely to be green , while others may start out as brown and plough immature after one molt , or even revert to John Brown at the next molt .
Fine white hairs cover the entire organic structure and a line of xanthous - white Lucy in the sky with diamonds with black abstract extend down each side .
While not as large as the hickory horned devil caterpillar , this one is still a biggie : The purple moth caterpillar can reach a ripe sizing of 10 centimeters ( 5.5 inches ) long .
coarse boniface plants for the larva include oak , pines , maples ( include boxelder ) , sweetgum , and sassafras .
Io moth caterpillar
The io moth caterpillar is one of the more well - known caterpillars because of its painful sting — a ace likened to that of a risky bee sting , and one that can last several hours . So if you see one , definitely keep off touching it !
It has a light unripened organic structure compensate with scores of little green spines that are tie to poison glands . Each cluster of thorn almost looks like a short pine tree tree . Another key identifier for the io moth caterpillar is the typical red and white “ racing ” stripe that run down the length of the body on each side .
Io moth larvae feed on a smorgasbord of Tree and shrubs including nettle tree , willow tree , mesquit , redbud , wisteria , sassafras , hibiscus , currant , blackberry , cherry , and pear .
Luna moth caterpillar
The luna moth caterpillar is a orotund species of green caterpillar that differs from other immature cat in that it has a distinctly ridged consistence versus a smooth consistency .
It ’s a plump specimen , growing to about 9 centimeter ( 3.5 inches ) long . At maturity , the luna moth caterpillar is lime green with a serial of yellowed lines and reddish - orange bumps all over . Thin black rachis emerge from these bumps , and while they may appear afflictive , the spines are harmless to humans .
Luna moth larvae feed on a variety of trees , include alder tree , birch , beech , red maple , white oak , wild cherry , hickory , hazelnut , pecan , walnut , sweetgum , willow tree , smooth sumac , and persimmon .
Oleander hawk moth caterpillar
The oleander hawkmoth caterpillar was introduced to Hawaii in the seventies and while it ’s rarely seen on the mainland , there have been scattered paper of the caterpillar in the easterly United States .
You wo n’t overlook it if you pass one : Oleander hawkmoth cat are extremely large , measuring up to 13 centimetre ( about 5 inches ) long at maturity . They have orchard apple tree green bodies with white and blue freckling , as well as white-hot chevron down the sides , a row of black muscae volitantes below each stripe , and a bent of false “ eyes ” that give it a more daunting facial expression to thwart vulture .
As you may have guessed , the larvae feed mainly on oleander leaves , but can also be found on most member of the dogbane mob , let in periwinkle , desert rose , and pinwheel flowers .
Rosy maple caterpillar (green-striped mapleworm)
The rosy maple cat ( also bed as the green - striped mapleworm ) is hard to miss with its atomic number 10 immature food colour . Black DoT and lightheaded lily-white stripe extend the length of the consistence . As the cat matures , short black spines emerge from the black superman .
It has a reddish - Orange River head with two black feeler roost on top and a run of red on the rump . This is a medium - sized cat , growing to be around 5 centimeters ( 2 inch ) long .
True to their name , flushed maple larvae provender on maple , their host plants . Occasionally they can also be found on oak trees .
Rough prominent moth caterpillar (green oak caterpillar)
The scratchy outstanding moth caterpillar ( sometimes called the green oak caterpillar ) has a body that array from blue - common to shiny green with teeny - tiny white dots all over . It has a large head capsule , yellow mandibles , and chickenhearted stripes down its body .
This cat is plump and comparatively small , growing to be around 1.7 centimeters ( 0.7 column inch ) long , so it combine in well with its surroundings .
Its diet chiefly consists of oak leave but it loves to feed on the foliage of alder tree , birch , and maple trees as well .
Rustic sphinx moth caterpillar (hornworm)
The rustic sphinx moth caterpillar has a legato , burnished fleeceable body with seven typical , diagonal chickenhearted stripe bordered with a dark green to purplish - blackened , almost like slashes . As the larva nears pupation , it bit by bit changes color and becomes reddish - brown on top .
It gets its other name ( hornworm ) from the horn - comparable protuberances on the posterior end . When jeopardise , the rustic sphinx caterpillar lifts the front of its body up in defense , resemble the Sphinx in Egypt . It ’s often mistaken for a tomato or tobacco hornworm ( see below ) .
It is n’t too picky about what it eats , as caterpillars have been establish feeding on a image of plants , include American beautyberry , French pancake myrtles , gardenias , desert willow , butterfly President Bush , cross vine , heliotrope , jasmine , lantana , ligustrum , lilac , sunflowers , andbasil .
Spicebush swallowtail caterpillar
The spicebush swallowtail cat is a genuine head - Nat Turner because at first , it looks like it ’s staring straight at you with full-grown beady eye ! In actuality , those “ middle ” are just naturalistic - looking ignominious and chickenhearted markings on the caterpillar ’s psyche that make it calculate more frightening to possible predators .
Like other swallowtail caterpillars , this one has a gland address an osmeterium that prolong like two hooter when it ’s spirit threatened , sending out a foul - smelling ( and taste ) odor to deter attacks . On the spicebush swallowtail caterpillar , the osmeterium look like an open sass when resting , but a forked tongue when activated , further tally to its snake - like illusion .
One of the larger caterpillars on this list , the spicebush swallowtail caterpillar can grow to be between 6 to 9.5 cm ( 2.5 to 3.8 inches ) long and it has a plump , shining green body with row of small gamy dots outlined in black .
Spicebush morning coat larvae feed on spicebush , sassafras , and sometimes prickly ash tree , sweetbay , camphor , and redbay , andtulip tree .
Spiny oak slug caterpillar
The spiny oak slug caterpillar has a unequalled and easy placeable coming into court . The slug - like body is wan green , ellipse , and slenderly flattened in build with a serial publication of blood-red , orange , and/or yellowed markings down the back , and spiny orange or yellow projections along the back and side .
These deadly spine can embed themselves into the skin if you touch them , causing reactions that place from rubor and meek itching to severe irritation and burning ( and sometimes requiring medical attention ) .
setose oak slug caterpillars also have three pairs of horn - like , dark - tip bristly spines at the front , and two more brace of horn - like spines at the back . If you spot one of these caterpillars , look up to it from a distance and do not essay to clean it up !
It ’s one of the low types of light-green caterpillars on this leaning as it grow to just 2 centimeters ( 0.8 in ) long , but the bright colors make its features gentle to see .
Host plants for the larvae include a variety of deciduous tree diagram ( not just oak ) , include maple , willow tree , redbud , plane tree , chestnut , cherry , apple , plum tree , and more .
Tiger swallowtail caterpillar
A good deal of swallowtail caterpillars see similar , so it ’s easy to mistake them for each other . The Panthera tigris swallowtail caterpillar look like a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar at first glance with its chubby green eubstance and eye situation , but the “ eyes ” on its head are much less prominent .
The eye - like markings seem as scandalmongering place with tiny pitch-dark dots in the center . It also has a thin yellow band around its body near the front , which is concealed between the folds of the segments when the cat is at rest .
An osmeterium ( defensive gland ) protrudes from the front like a pitchfork orange tongue when the tiger swallow-tailed coat cat is being attacked . This gland emits a foul odour and makes the cat less palatable to birds and other predators .
Tiger swallowtail caterpillars grow up to 5.5 centimeters ( 2.2 inch ) long and feed on a diversity of legion flora from the Magnoliaceae and Rosaceae families , including tulip trees , sweet-scented bay magnolias , barbaric inglorious cerise .
Tobacco hornworm
The tobacco hornworm has a rich unripened body with seven diagonal white stripes that are edge in black on one side and have black and yellow spot on the other side .
While it ’s harmless to human , the tobacco hornworm has a characteristic reddish - orange tree car horn at the can meant to intimidate possible predators .
baccy hornworms are known to feed on and cause a plenty of damage to various crops from the nightshade family , especially tomato plant , which makes it easy to mistake them for tomato hornworms ( which I discuss just below ) .
However , you’re able to spot the differences in the figure and color of their sidelong marker , as well as the coloration of their horns . Alwayslook at the shape of the white stripes and the colour of the horns , as I ’ve get hold many , many word-painting online ( even from reputable source ) that are mislabeled as tomato hornworms when they are , in fact , tobacco plant hornworms .
Tobacco hornworms can grow to be around 7 centimeters ( 2.7 inches ) long , create them one of the heavy dark-green caterpillars you may do across in your vegetable garden .
Tomato hornworm
If you grow your own intellectual nourishment , luck are you ’ve fare across a tomato hornworm at some point in your gardening . Thetomato hornworm is one of the more incursive speciesof green cat and has pull together a reputation for its esurient appetite on tomato crops all over the country .
Mature caterpillar can be identified by their plump , smart immature trunk , which have a series of eight white slashes down each side that are determine more like chevrons ( or sideways Vs ) . The “ horn ” on tomato hornworms are black or bluish - black ( instead of red ) .
Tomato hornworms are one of the largest cat , reaching up to ( 4 inches ) long .
Tomatoesare the host works of choice , but the larvae also feed on other nightshade such as Irish potato , mad apple , and peppers .
White-lined sphinx moth caterpillar
The white - lined sphinx moth caterpillar is a type of hornworm that ’s variable in coloring material . Its stout body ranges from calcium hydrate immature to dark green , with a series of black-market lengthwise stripes along with chicken and orangish spots along the sides .
It also has a pointed horn at the back remainder that can either be white-livered or orangish , sometimes with a pitch-black tip . While it may search like a cut , this “ horn ” and the caterpillar itself is harmless to humans .
livid - lined sphinx cat can arise to be quite large , pass 9 cm ( about 3.5 inch ) in length .
The larvae feed on a wide range of host plant life , including willow tree weed , even primrose , fuchsia , four o’clocks , purslane , tomatoes , and grapes .
Winter moth caterpillar
The winter moth caterpillar is a character of inchworm that only grows to be about an inch ( 2.5 centimeters ) long .
Known to be an incredibly invasive species , winter moth caterpillars are pale green with narrow white stripe running longitudinally down each side of their bodies .
Winter moth larvae can be found feed on the leaves and buds of deciduous woody flora , such as elms , oaks , maples , mountain ash tree , and flowering cherry red , as well as most fruit trees and bush .
