Larvae of Craesus septentrionalis, a sawfly showing six pairs of prolegs. 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). [5] .

Nov 6, 2022 · There are four phases in the entire metamorphosis process for butterflies and moths: the egg, the larva, also referred to as a caterpillar, the pupa, and the adult stages. The egg stage is the first stage where the caterpillar life cycle starts. On plants, the mature female butterfly lays her eggs. Inside these tiny eggs, caterpillars grow.

The larva or caterpillar of a butterfly is the worm-like hatchling that emerges from a small egg and turns into a pupa in the next stage of its life cycle. During this larval stage, a hungry caterpillar eats constantly and grows at an astounding rate.

Aug 25, 2023 · The main difference between larvae and caterpillar is that larvae are a distinct juvenile form of animals that undergo metamorphosis, whereas caterpillar is the larval stage of order Lepidoptera.

Mar 20, 2025 · caterpillar, larva of a butterfly or moth (Lepidoptera). Most caterpillars have cylindrical bodies consisting of multiple segments, with three pairs of true legs on the thorax and several pairs of short, fleshy prolegs on the abdomen.

Aug 10, 2012 · The caterpillar, or what is more scientifically termed a larva, stuffs itself with leaves, growing plumper and longer through a series of molts in which it sheds its skin.

Caterpillar: The Feeding Stage The next stage is the larva. This is also called a caterpillar if the insect is a butterfly or a moth. The job of the caterpillar is to eat and eat and eat. As the caterpillar grows it splits its skin and sheds it about 4 or 5 times. Food eaten at this time is stored and used later as an adult.

As nouns the difference between caterpillar and larva is that caterpillar is the larva of a butterfly or moth; leafworm while larva is an early stage of growth for some insects and amphibians, in which after hatching from their egg, insects are wingless and resemble a caterpillar or grub, and amphibians lack limbs and resemble fish.

Apr 3, 2017 · Butterfly larvae—more commonly known as caterpillars—are more charismatic than most of their cohorts. Caterpillars are notoriously voracious, consuming grass, leaves, and …

Mar 3, 2025 · Caterpillar is a specific term used to refer to the larval stage of butterflies and moths. Larva, on the other hand, is a more general term used to describe the immature, wingless stage of various insects, including beetles, flies, and butterflies/moths.