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51-477: The Phycitinae are a subfamily of snout moths ( family Pyralidae). Even though the Pyralidae subfamilies are all quite diverse, Phycitinae stand out even by standards of their family: with over 600 genera considered valid and more than 4000 species placed here at present, they unite up more than three-quarters of living snout moth diversity. Together with the closely related Epipaschiinae , they are apparently

102-550: A pupal stage before becoming adults. Caterpillars grow very quickly; for instance, a tobacco hornworm will increase its weight ten-thousandfold in less than twenty days. An adaptation that enables them to eat so much is a mechanism in a specialized midgut that quickly transports ions to the lumen (midgut cavity), to keep the potassium level higher in the midgut cavity than in the hemolymph . Most caterpillars are solely herbivorous . Many are restricted to feeding on one species of plant, while others are polyphagous. Some, including

153-484: A caterpillar with an aggressive defense mechanism will learn and avoid future attempts. Some caterpillars regurgitate acidic digestive juices at attacking enemies. Many papilionid larvae produce bad smells from extrudable glands called osmeteria . Many caterpillars display feeding behaviors which allow the caterpillar to remain hidden from potential predators. Many feed in protected environments, such as enclosed inside silk galleries, rolled leaves or by mining between

204-468: A dormant state. The appearance of a caterpillar can often repel a predator: its markings and certain body parts can make it seem poisonous, or bigger in size and thus threatening, or non-edible. Some types of caterpillars are indeed poisonous or distasteful and their bright coloring warns predators of this . Others may mimic dangerous caterpillars or other animals while not being dangerous themselves. Many caterpillars are cryptically colored and resemble

255-540: A nuisance weed where introduced is not known to be strongly invasive. Due to the large diversity, the phylogeny and systematics of the Phycitinae is by no means fully resolved, though there is progress towards this goal. As noted above, some genera placed in this subfamily might actually belong elsewhere; particularly some of those that cannot be assigned firmly to one of the main Phycitinae subdivisions ( incertae sedis ) are interesting in this regard. Delimitation versus

306-456: A serrulate surface with a tiny horn. These microstructures are most likely used to keep the ductus seminalis opening aligned. In general, Phycitinae are smallish and slender-bodied moths, resembling fungus moths (family Tineidae) in appearance, though they have the well-developed proboscis typical of snout moths and in many cases also the tell-tale "snout" consisting of elongated and straight labial palps . They are usually inconspicuous; while

357-589: A systematic group by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839, who called them "Phycideen". The type genus of Phycitinae is Phycidea Zeller , 1839 , with Tinea sinuella Fabricius , 1794 as type species . Phycidea is nowadays considered a synonym of the genus Homoeosoma . Dioryctria abietella (Denis & Schiffermüller) has reproductive organs and spermatophore that are morphologically similar to those of other Lepidoptera. Many females had eggs in their bulla seminalis, but they didn't entirely obstruct sperm transportation. The spermatophore's opening end has

408-621: Is a polyphagous species however, and having been introduced to comparable climates in Northern Hemisphere America, it is wreaking havoc in Mexican and the southern United States' Opuntia farms. Similarly, in A. philoxeroides control, care must be taken not to harm native species of the widespread genus Alternanthera , many of which are highly valued aquarium plants. A. malloi is also not fully monophagous and will for example eat sessile joyweed ( A. sessilis ), which though

459-761: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Caterpillar Caterpillars ( / ˈ k æ t ər p ɪ l ər / KAT -ər-pil-ər ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths ). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Symphyta) are commonly called caterpillars as well. Both lepidopteran and symphytan larvae have eruciform body shapes. Caterpillars of most species eat plant material ( often leaves ), but not all; some (about 1%) eat insects , and some are even cannibalistic. Some feed on other animal products. For example, clothes moths feed on wool, and horn moths feed on

510-603: Is among the most potent defensive chemicals in any animal is produced by the South American silk moth genus Lonomia . Its venom is an anticoagulant powerful enough to cause a human to hemorrhage to death (See Lonomiasis ). This chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications. Most urticating hairs range in effect from mild irritation to dermatitis . Example: brown-tail moth . Plants contain toxins which protect them from herbivores, but some caterpillars have evolved countermeasures which enable them to eat

561-570: Is another approach used in reducing the impact of caterpillars on crop plants. Some caterpillars are used in industry. The silk industry is based on the silkworm caterpillar. Caterpillar hair can be a cause of human health problems. Caterpillar hairs sometimes have venoms in them and species from approximately 12 families of moths or butterflies worldwide can inflict serious human injuries ranging from urticarial dermatitis and atopic asthma to osteochondritis , consumption coagulopathy , kidney failure , and brain bleeding . Skin rashes are

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612-478: Is divided among four tribes of various size. Some notable genera and species are also listed: Anerastiini Ragonot, 1885 Cabniini Roesler, 1968 Cryptoblabini Roesler, 1968 Phycitini Some Phycitinae genera and species whose affiliation as to tribe is unclear are: Delcina was originally included in the Phycitinae, as it somewhat resembles Monoptilota ; it seems impossible to assign with certainty to any one of

663-412: Is one species that preys upon caterpillars. The flycatcher typically finds caterpillars among oak foliage. Paper wasps , including those in the genus Polistes and Polybia catch caterpillars to feed their young and themselves. Caterpillars have been called "eating machines", and eat leaves voraciously. Most species shed their skin four or five times as their bodies grow, and they eventually enter

714-669: Is that the forewings of many adult Phycitinae lack one or more veins , usually the seventh one. These moths may resemble caddisflies , but caddisfly antennae point forwards while Phycitinae antennae curve backwards. Phycitinae caterpillars are mostly leaf rolling, but some are inquilines in plant galls or seed feeders, and a wide range of habitats are utilized. This subfamily even features some aquatic and predatory caterpillars. The latter, e.g. Laetilia , can be beneficial in agriculture , as they eat small Hemiptera such as Sternorrhyncha . Others have been used in biological pest control against invasive plants , for example

765-550: The Epipaschiinae – generally considered the closest living relatives of the present subfamily – may thus warrant more attention, but altogether, considering the sheer size of this group, Phycitinae have not been particularly challenging as regards their taxonomy and systematics. New genera of Phycitinae are still being established and others are revalidated in our time. Some genera widely recognized are monotypic , but might include further undiscovered species. Some, on

816-420: The clothes moth , feed on detritus . Some are predatory, and may prey on other species of caterpillars (e.g. Hawaiian Eupithecia ). Others feed on eggs of other insects, aphids, scale insects, or ant larvae. A few are parasitic on cicadas or leaf hoppers ( Epipyropidae ). Some Hawaiian caterpillars ( Hyposmocoma molluscivora ) use silk traps to capture snails. Many caterpillars are nocturnal. For example,

867-617: The locust , thus they are one of the plagues of Egypt. Jeremiah names them as one of the inhabitants of Babylon . The English word caterpillar derives from the old French catepelose (hairy cat) but merged with the piller (pillager). Caterpillars became a symbol for social dependents. Shakespeare 's Bolingbroke described King Richard 's friends as "The caterpillars of the commonwealth, Which I have sworn to weed and pluck away". In 1790 William Blake referenced this popular image in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell when he attacked priests: "as

918-453: The "cutworms" (of the family Noctuidae ) hide at the base of plants during the day and only feed at night. Others, such as spongy moth ( Lymantria dispar ) larvae, change their activity patterns depending on density and larval stage, with more diurnal feeding in early instars and high densities. Caterpillars cause much damage, mainly by eating leaves. The propensity for damage is enhanced by monocultural farming practices, especially where

969-485: The Christian tradition. Goedart thus located his empirical observations on the transformation of caterpillars into butterflies in the Christian tradition. As such he argued that the metamorphosis from caterpillar into butterfly was a symbol, and even proof, of Christ's resurrection. He argued "that from dead caterpillars emerge living animals; so it is equally true and miraculous, that our dead and rotten corpses will rise from

1020-603: The aforementioned genera's caterpillars infest dry vegetable foods (such as grain and nuts ), while others (e.g. Dioryctria ) are pests of living plants. Ecological relationships and interaction with humans is not always clear cut in this large group; the famous South American cactus moth ( Cactoblastis cactorum ) from the Paraná Basin is quite beneficial by keeping down invasive prickly pears ( Opuntia ) wherever neither it nor these cacti are native, such as in Australia . It

1071-399: The base of seta SD1 – as well as the identical frenula of male and female adults' wings – a single bristle composed of several acanthae – are held to be characteristic autapomorphies by which the Phycitinae can be recognized. Furthermore, in the female genitalia of this subfamily the ductus seminalis originates in the corpus bursae . A useful character in the field

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1122-553: The caterpillar chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lay his curse on the fairest joys". The role of caterpillars in the life stages of butterflies was badly understood. In 1679 Maria Sibylla Merian published the first volume of The Caterpillars' Marvelous Transformation and Strange Floral Food , which contained 50 illustrations and a description of insects, moths, butterflies and their larvae . An earlier popular publication on moths and butterflies, and their caterpillars, by Jan Goedart had not included eggs in

1173-428: The caterpillar is specifically adapted to the host plant under cultivation. The cotton bollworm causes enormous losses. Other species eat food crops. Caterpillars have been the target of pest control through the use of pesticides , biological control and agronomic practices. Many species have become resistant to pesticides . Bacterial toxins such as those from Bacillus thuringiensis which are evolved to affect

1224-458: The caterpillars of the Lepidoptera. Such larvae are mainly seen in the sawfly suborder. However while these larvae superficially resemble caterpillars, they can be distinguished by the presence of prolegs on every abdominal segment, an absence of crochets or hooks on the prolegs (these are present on lepidopteran caterpillars), one pair of prominent ocelli on the head capsule, and an absence of

1275-525: The digression of those who have tried to prove Resurrection of the Dead from these obviously natural and comprehensible changes within the creature itself." Since then the metamorphoses of the caterpillar into a butterfly has in Western societies been associated with countless human transformations in folktales and literature. There is no process in the physical life of human beings that resembles this metamorphoses, and

1326-473: The environment such as bird droppings. Some Geometridae cover themselves in plant parts, while bagworms construct and live in a bag covered in sand, pebbles or plant material. More aggressive self-defense measures have evolved in some caterpillars. These measures include having spiny bristles or long fine hair-like setae with detachable tips that will irritate by lodging in the skin or mucous membranes. However some birds (such as cuckoos ) will swallow even

1377-407: The eyes. Once they enter such tissues, they can be difficult to extract, often exacerbating the problem as they migrate across the membrane. This becomes a particular problem in an indoor setting. The hair easily enter buildings through ventilation systems and accumulate in indoor environments because of their small size, which makes it difficult for them to be vented out. This accumulation increases

1428-525: The forewings of some are quite prominently patterned, even these have usually rather nondescript greyish-brown colours and in the natural environment the pattern is cryptic . Yet a few species of Phycitinae, such as Oncocera semirubella , are unusually brightly coloured by moth standards, while those of genus Myelois resemble members of unrelated " micromoth " family Yponomeutidae and like these are called " ermine moths" due to their bright white forewings with tiny black spots. Despite their diversity,

1479-479: The founder of Cartesian philosophy, and his theory on innate ideas. Descartes argued that we are distracted by urgent bodily stimuli that swamp the human mind in childhood. Descartes also theorised that inherited preconceived opinions obstruct the human perception of the truth . More recent symbolic references to caterpillars in popular media include the Mad Men season 3 episode "The Fog", in which Betty Draper has

1530-403: The grave." Swammerdam, who in 1669 had demonstrated that inside a caterpillar the rudiments of the future butterfly's limbs and wings could be discerned, attacked the mystical and religious notion that the caterpillar died and the butterfly subsequently resurrected. As a militant Cartesian , Swammerdam attacked Goedart as ridiculous, and when publishing his findings he proclaimed "here we witness

1581-419: The group is considered by and large monophyletic as traditionally circumscribed. Due to the sheer number of taxa contained here, this has not been thoroughly tested, and some little-known genera traditionally included in the Phycitinae may of course simply be convergent and do not really belong here. Altogether however, the mesothorax of the caterpillars – with the sclerotised (hardened) ring around

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1632-474: The gut of Lepidoptera have been used in sprays of bacterial spores, toxin extracts and also by incorporating genes to produce them within the host plants. These approaches are defeated over time by the evolution of resistance mechanisms in the insects. Plants evolve mechanisms of resistance to being eaten by caterpillars, including the evolution of chemical toxins and physical barriers such as hairs. Incorporating host plant resistance (HPR) through plant breeding

1683-425: The hairiest of caterpillars. Other caterpillars acquire toxins from their host plants that render them unpalatable to most of their predators. For instance, ornate moth caterpillars utilize pyrrolizidine alkaloids that they obtain from their food plants to deter predators. The most aggressive caterpillar defenses are bristles associated with venom glands. These bristles are called urticating hairs . A venom which

1734-517: The hooves and horns of dead ungulates . Caterpillars are typically voracious feeders and many of them are among the most serious of agricultural pests . In fact, many moth species are best known in their caterpillar stages because of the damage they cause to fruits and other agricultural produce, whereas the moths are obscure and do no direct harm. Conversely, various species of caterpillar are valued as sources of silk, as human or animal food, or for biological control of pest plants. The origins of

1785-895: The leaf surfaces. Some caterpillars, like early instars of the tomato hornworm and tobacco hornworm , have long "whip-like" organs attached to the ends of their body. The caterpillar wiggles these organs to frighten away flies and predatory wasps. Some caterpillars can evade predators by using a silk line and dropping off from branches when disturbed. Many species thrash about violently when disturbed to scare away potential predators. One species ( Amorpha juglandis ) even makes high pitched whistles that can scare away birds. Some caterpillars obtain protection by associating themselves with ants . The Lycaenid butterflies are particularly well known for this. They communicate with their ant protectors by vibrations as well as chemical means and typically provide food rewards. Some caterpillars are gregarious ; large aggregations are believed to help in reducing

1836-497: The leaves of such toxic plants. In addition to being unaffected by the poison, the caterpillars sequester it in their body, making them highly toxic to predators. The chemicals are also carried on into the adult stages. These toxic species, such as the cinnabar moth ( Tyria jacobaeae ) and monarch ( Danaus plexippus ) caterpillars, usually advertise themselves with the danger colors of red, yellow and black, often in bright stripes (see aposematism ). Any predator that attempts to eat

1887-524: The levels of parasitization and predation. Clusters amplify the signal of aposematic coloration, and individuals may participate in group regurgitation or displays. Pine processionary ( Thaumetopoea pityocampa ) caterpillars often link into a long train to move through trees and over the ground. The head of the lead caterpillar is visible, but the other heads can appear hidden. Forest tent caterpillars cluster during periods of cold weather. Caterpillars are eaten by many animals. The European pied flycatcher

1938-438: The life stages of European moths and butterflies, because he had believed that caterpillars were generated from water. When Merian published her study of caterpillars it was still widely believed that insects were spontaneously generated. Merian's illustrations supported the findings of Francesco Redi , Marcello Malpighi and Jan Swammerdam . Butterflies were regarded as symbol for the human soul since ancient time, and also in

1989-401: The major lineages of snout moths however. Subfamily Detarioideae is an example of a botanical subfamily. Detarioideae is a subdivision of the family Fabaceae (legumes), containing 84 genera. Stevardiinae is an example of a zoological subfamily. Stevardiinae is a large subdivision of the family Characidae , a diverse clade of freshwater fish . This biology article

2040-405: The most advanced lineage of snout moths. Phycitinae occur all over Earth's land masses, except in completely inhospitable areas; the majority of species has a tropical distribution however. Phycitinae have even been found on very remote oceanic islands , and a few species have been intentionally or unintentionally distributed by humans beyond their native range. The subfamily was established as

2091-475: The most common, but there have been fatalities. Lonomia is a frequent cause of envenomation in Brazil, with 354 cases reported between 1989 and 2005. Lethality ranging up to 20% with death caused most often by intracranial hemorrhage. Caterpillar hair has also been known to cause kerato - conjunctivitis . The sharp barbs on the end of caterpillar hairs can get lodged in soft tissues and mucous membranes such as

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2142-453: The other hand, might not be valid. Despite the review of genera progressing, the large number of Phycitinae taxa means that a lot of genera have not been reviewed since the 1956 landmark studies by United States Department of Agriculture entomologist Carl Heinrich and Hans Georg Amsel of the State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe , if not since longer. A large part of the subfamily

2193-469: The plants on which they feed. An example of caterpillars that use camouflage for defense is the species Nemoria arizonaria . If the caterpillars hatch in the spring and feed on oak catkins they appear green. If they hatch in the summer they appear dark colored, like oak twigs. The differential development is linked to the tannin content in the diet. Caterpillars may even have spines or growths that resemble plant parts such as thorns. Some look like objects in

2244-488: The position that in spite of changes it is still possible to know something, and that Alice is the same Alice at the beginning and end of a considerable interval. When the Caterpillar asks Alice to clarify a point, the child replies "I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly... for I can't but understand it myself, to begin with, and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing". Here Carroll satirizes René Descartes ,

2295-426: The primary reason for this unusual locomotion is the elimination of nearly all the prolegs except the clasper on the terminal segment. Caterpillars have soft bodies that can grow rapidly between moults. Their size varies between species and instars (moults) from as small as 1 millimetre (0.039 in) up to 14 centimetres (5.5 in). Some larvae of the order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) can appear like

2346-617: The risk of human contact in indoor environments. Caterpillars are a food source in some cultures. For example, in South Africa mopane worms are eaten by the bushmen , and in China silkworms are considered a delicacy. In the Old Testament of the Bible caterpillars are feared as pests that devour crops. They are part of the "pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust" because of their association with

2397-522: The stem-boring caterpillars of Arcola malloi which destroy alligator weed ( Alternanthera philoxeroides ), an originally South American plant that has spread around the Pacific Rim to the detriment of local ecosystems . Yet again others – namely the " carob moths " and " flour moths " of genera Cadra , Ephestia and Plodia , as well as some species of Ectomyelois and Etiella – are themselves pests of economic significance;

2448-508: The symbol of the caterpillar tends to depict a psychic transformation of a human. As such the caterpillar has in the Christian tradition become a metaphor for being "born again". Famously, in Lewis Carroll 's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland a caterpillar asks Alice "Who are you?". When Alice comments on the caterpillar's inevitable transformation into a butterfly, the caterpillar champions

2499-507: The upside-down Y-shaped suture on the front of the head. Lepidopteran caterpillars can be differentiated from sawfly larvae by: In 2019 , a geometrid moth caterpillar dating back to the Eocene epoch , approximately 44 million years ago , was found preserved in Baltic amber . It was described under Eogeometer vadens . Previously, another fossil dating back approximately 125 million years

2550-501: The word "caterpillar" date from the early 16th century. They derive from Middle English catirpel , catirpeller , probably an alteration of Old North French catepelose : cate , cat (from Latin cattus ) + pelose , hairy (from Latin pilōsus ). The inchworm, or looper caterpillars from the family Geometridae are so named because of the way they move, appearing to measure the earth (the word geometrid means earth-measurer in Greek );

2601-482: Was found in Lebanese amber . Many animals feed on caterpillars as they are rich in protein. As a result, caterpillars have evolved various means of defense. Caterpillars have evolved defenses against physical conditions such as cold, hot or dry environmental conditions. Some Arctic species like Gynaephora groenlandica have special basking and aggregation behaviours apart from physiological adaptations to remain in

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