Top 10 Most Beautiful Caterpillars
Some of the prettiest caterpillars you’ve ever seen.
A caterpillar is the larva of butterfly and moth or some other insects. There are caterpillars that are edible, but most of them are considered pest to plants and trees. There are also caterpillars that are harmful to animals (including humans) because they contain toxin and venom, but of course, there are also plenty of them that are also attractive because they’re brightly and uniquely colored.
Here’s a list of the 10 most attractive and colorful caterpillars.
Spurge Hawk-Moth Caterpillar
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
This caterpillar of the Spurge Hawk-moth is absolutely beautiful and probably one of the most beautiful. This caterpillar was seen in Kriegtal near Binn, Valais, Switzerland at approximately 2000 m altitude.
Cecropia Moth Caterpillar
Photo Credit: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/189434979_20c0e9dff4.jpg
This caterpillar looks adorable because of its pretty combination of colors. This lovely-looking caterpillar is the larva of the cecropia moth, one of the largest moths found in North America. This type of caterpillar is most commonly found on Maple trees, but it had been known to feed on Wild cherry and Birch trees among many others. It is a member of the Saturniidae family, or giant silk moths. It is found as far west as the Rocky Mountains and north into the maritime provinces of Canada.
Stinging Rose Caterpillar
Photo Credit: http://www.naturephotographers.net/buserimages/1045-03.jpg
Stinging Rose caterpillar is one of the most brightly colored caterpillars. The body bears pairs of long, horn-like, bristly spines and clumps of smaller spines which are characteristic of several of the slug caterpillars. Hosts of the stinging rose caterpillar include apple, cottonwood, dogwood, hickory, oak, redbud, sycamore and rosebushes.
Red-Footed Fuzzy-Wuzzy Caterpillar
Photo Source: www.geometer.org/earthwatch98/index.html
This hairy attractive caterpillar in the tarchon family hasn’t been scientifically classified yet. It was found in Costa Rica and is called temporarily the Red-footed fuzzy-wuzzy caterpillar.
Azalea Caterpillar
Photo Credit: http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/azalea_caterpillar01.htm
This beautifully colored caterpillar is a serious pest of azaleas. Often the caterpillars defoliate much of the plant before they are detected. While the caterpillar appears hairy, it is harmless to humans and can be picked off the bushes by
Saddleback Caterpillar
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
This unique caterpillar is a stinging caterpillar. Acharia stimulea or the saddleback caterpillar has stiff spines with potent poison glands. Stings can be very painful. They can cause swelling, nausea, and leave a rash that can last for days. The saddleback caterpillar feeds on many plants including hibiscus and palms.
Tetrio Sphinx Caterpillar
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
This lovely caterpillar on a tree trunk is the Tetrio sphinx moth caterpillar of the Sphingidae family. It ranges from Brazil in South America to the southern US.
Monarch Caterpillar
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Simplicity is beauty. This gorgeous caterpillar is the larva of one of the best known butterflies in the world – the Monarch butterfly.
Hickory Horned Devil
Photo Credit: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/87/233272037_04e38a8f26.jpg
Despite the name, I still consider this caterpillar a beauty. This odd-looking caterpillar is the larva of the Royal Walnut Moth, also known as the Regal Moth. It has a scary and frightful appearance because of the five pairs of long, curved hornlike structures over the back of its thorax. They are found in North America.
Old World Swallowtail Caterpillar
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Another caterpillar with beautiful color combination is the larva of the Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), a butterfly of the family Papilionadae. It occurs throughout the Palearctic region in Europe and Asia; it also occurs across North America, and thus is not restricted to the Old World, despite the common name.
These caterpillars were not arranged in particular order because I believe that “beauty is on the eye of the beholder.”
For more colorful animals in the world see:
World’s Most Attractive and Colorful Reptiles
The Worlds Most Colorful Snakes
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35 Responses to “Top 10 Most Beautiful Caterpillars”
On September 5, 2008 at 11:48 am
Amazing. All these caterpillars are attractive and colorful.
On September 5, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Norbert these little guys are insane. Cecropia Moth Caterpillar looks like a strand of DNA. Very cool!
On September 5, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I thought caterpillars are ugly; now I know they are beautiful.
On September 5, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Wonderful larvas,and larvas butterfly,become gorgeus.
On September 5, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Those are some crazy looking catipillars. I don’t think I have ever heard of those kinds.
On September 5, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Beautiful pictures, just what I needed to see after a long days work, a piece of God’s amazing handiwork. Thanks
On September 5, 2008 at 6:25 pm
great-looking caterpillars. great article too.
On September 5, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Very beautiful caterpillars.
On September 5, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Wow, to be honest, I have never seen those kind of caterpillars before. They are all beautiful colorful caterpillars; I wonder how they would look when they transform into a butterfly.
Great Article!
On September 5, 2008 at 7:48 pm
These are strange looking little creatures but beautiful in their own way.
On September 5, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Very cool!
On September 5, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Amazing collection of caterpillars, and beautiful too!
On September 5, 2008 at 8:58 pm
That second one looks like its made out of plastic. Great link thanks!
On September 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm
really amazing pictures…..
On September 5, 2008 at 10:35 pm
WOW! I never dreamed there were so many beautiful caterpillars.
I was amazed. Thank you, Nobert.
On September 6, 2008 at 2:12 am
Very beautiful!
On September 6, 2008 at 4:33 am
Gorgeous caterpillars! Now, what’s for dinner?
On September 6, 2008 at 5:46 am
Can I answer R J? Something green and leafy? Great article, Nobert, and the pictures added so much.
On September 6, 2008 at 11:31 am
A fine collection of superb pictures. An enjoyable read
On September 6, 2008 at 6:22 pm
i never thought id call a catapillar cute
On September 8, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I have seen a couple of these catapillars before. The Saddle back is interesting and I like the name Red Footed Fuzzy Wuzzy, I think they should keep it. The Horned Devil gave me the creeps.
I enjoyed this article very much.
Thanks
On September 9, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Looks like ebaumsworld (dot com) stole this from your site and didn’t provide credit. I’d link it, but I’m not sure if your filter will allow my comment if I did, but you can see it on their homepage (right now it’s the second feature).
Just wanted to let you guys know!
On September 13, 2008 at 1:54 am
this definately breaks the whole ugly-catapillar sterotype! i am loving this! thanks for sharing!
On September 13, 2008 at 9:37 pm
one looks like an aqua cactus, another like an orange circus clown, what fun these little guys! thanks for an interesting look at their world. ~ d
On September 19, 2008 at 5:38 pm
thank you very much for reading and commenting, i appreciate it very much more than words can say.
On November 3, 2008 at 2:15 pm
yo yo homedigitys
On February 13, 2009 at 3:16 am
I said i wanted pictures of butterflies not caterpilliars!!!
On February 26, 2009 at 2:28 pm
do you have any pictuers of calipitters that are mostly brown with litle black dots on it?? Thanks! awesome website!!
On March 21, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Within every caterpillar is a stunning moth or butterfly waiting to come out. I’ve always been enchanted by these miniature locomotives, especially the wooleybear that isn’t spectacular in any way — just cuddly. Thanks for the gorgeous photos of one of my favorite critters.
On March 30, 2009 at 1:34 am
They are marvellous!Created by God,it made me think how beautiful and how great is my God!Thank’s 4 sharing!
On April 16, 2009 at 10:58 am
Thank you! i had to create a presentation on caterpillars, and at first i thought it was going to be boring. But now i read your work and looked at the pictures i realise how interesting they actually are.
On August 12, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I would like to know who took the photo of the Hickory Horned Devil. Can you please send me their name so I can contact them?
On October 5, 2009 at 12:48 pm
gret
rdg
On October 13, 2009 at 9:11 am
Hi, brilliant choice, well done.
To the other comments, I think you should find out a bit more about this amazing creatures…it gave a new hobby, soon you will be ” breeding ” them and helping the planet’s lack of insects, therefor helping polunation, feeding birds, etc plus all caterpilars become butterflies or moths and a all range of insects all beautyfull in their own way.
Go on, give it a try…
FreePinkPanther
On October 20, 2009 at 10:17 pm
I found a Hickory horned devil the other day,craziest looking caterpillar I ever saw! Chris Van,TX
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