Butterfly and Skipper Caterpillars
The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity. George Carlin (1937-2008)
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'Sweadner's' Juniper Hairstreak
The 'Sweadner's' Juniper Hairstreak caterpillar blends in perfectly with the needles of the red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), its host plant.
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American Lady Caterpillar
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American Snout Caterpillar
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Arogos Skipper Caterpillar
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Black Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Black Swallowtail Caterpillars
This symmetrical pair of Black Swallowtail caterpillars was on Rue in our herb garden. Young caterpillars at this stage have "saddles" on ther backs.
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Brazilian Skipper Caterpillar
You can see the internal organs in the Brazilian Skipper, also known as a Canna Skipper.
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Brown Elfin Caterpillar
It was recently learned that Brown Elfins populate parts of the Florida Panhandle. They feed on the flowers of Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia).
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Cassius Blue Caterpillar
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Clouded Skipper Caterpillar
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Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar
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Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar
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Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillars
Cloudless Sulphur caterpillars occur in several different colors and patterns.
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Common Buckeye Caterpillar
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Common Buckeye Caterpillar
Common Buckeyes use many host plants in the Broomrape family (OROBANCHACEAE){formerly included in the SCROPHULARIACEAE or Snapdragon family) including the False Foxglove (Agalinis sp.).
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Common or Tropical Checkered skipper Caterpillar
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Eufala Skipper Caterpillar
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Fiery Skipper Caterpillar
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Frosted Elfin Caterpillar
Frosted Elfin caterpillars seem to prefer to eat the flowers of its host plant, Sundal Lupine (Lupinus perennis).
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Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar
This is a head-on view of the Giant Swallowtail caterpillar.
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Goatweed Leafwing Caterpillar
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Goatweed Leafwing Caterpillar
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Goatweed Leafwing Caterpillar
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Golden banded-skipper Caterpillar
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Great Southern White Caterpillar
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Gulf Fritillary and Variegated Fritillary Caterpillars
The Gulf Fritillary (bottom) and Variegated Fritillary (top) both use Passionflower vines (Pasiflora spp.) as a host plant.
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Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar
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Hackberry Emperor Caterpillar
The caterpillars of the Hackberry and Tawny Emperors are very similar. To distinguish the two species, look for the thicker stripes on the Tawny Emperor compared to the very thin lines on the Hackberry Emperor caterpillar.
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Harvester Caterpillar
Harvester caterpillar with aphids on green ash leaf
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Hoary Edge Caterpillar
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Horace's Duskywing Caterpillar
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Julia Caterpillar
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Juvenal's Duskywing
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Lace-winged Roadside-skipper Caterpillar
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Little Metalmark Caterpillar
In north Florida, caterpillars of the Little Metalmark are found on the undersides of the basal leaves of Vanillaleaf (Carphephorus odoratissimus), their host plant.
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Little Yellow Caterpillar
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Long-tailed Skipper Caterpillar
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Malachite Caterpillar
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Mangrove Skipper Caterpillar
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Miami Blue Caterpillar
The Miami Blue is near extinction in Florida due mostly to habitat loss. It is feared that several populations no longer exist. This Miami Blue caterpillar was reared in captivity in an effort to repopulate the species in south Florida. The captive rearing program currently has been suspended.
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Monarch Caterpillar
The Queen caterpillar which mimics the Monarch caterpillar has an extra set of projections in the middle of the body.
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Monarch Caterpillar in J Position
Most caterpillars travel away from their host plants to prepare for their metamorphosis into chrysalides (plural of chrysalis). This monarch caterpillar has chosen to form its chrysalis on the leaf of a Fireflag (Thalia geniculata)
View a video of a monarch caterpillar changing into a chrysalis.
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Monarch in J Position
View a video of a monarch caterpillar changing into a chrysalis.
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Orange-barred Sulphur Caterpillar
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Palamedes Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Pearl Crescent Caterpillar
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Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillars
Young pipevine caterpillars eating pipevine leaf
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Polydamas Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Polydamas Swallowtail Caterpillars
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Queen Caterpillar
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Question Mark Caterpillar
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Red Admiral Caterpillar
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Red Admiral Caterpillar
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Ruddy Daggerwing Caterpillar
This gaudily colored caterpillar is feeding on the leaf of a strangler fig (Ficus sp.), its host plant.
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Silver-spotted Skipper Caterpillar
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Silvery Checkerspot Caterpillars
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Sleepy Orange Caterpillar
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Sleepy Orange Caterpillar
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Southern Cloudywing Caterpillar
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Southern Dogface Caterpillar
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Southern Pearlyeye Caterpillar
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Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
This cute caterpillar has won two photo contests.
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Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillars make a "nest" inside leaves. This one is in a sassafras leaf.
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Spicebush Swallowtial Caterpillar
This caterpillar was wrapped in a sassafras leaf.
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Swarthy Skipper Caterpillar
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Tawny Emperor Caterpillars
Many butterfles put just a few eggs per plant. Hackberry Emperors however seem to favor the moth's strategy of "safetty in numbers."
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Tawny Emperor Caterpillars
Tawny Emperor caterpillars have thicker stripes than the similar Hackberry Emperor caterpillar.
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Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
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Variegated Fritillary and Gulf Fritillary Caterpillars
Variegated Fritillary (top) and Gulf Fritillary (bottom) caterpillars
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Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar
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Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar
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Viceroy Caterpillar
The caterpillars of the viceroy and its mimic, the Red-spotted Purple, are hard to distinguish in the field. Red-spotted Purples usually feed on cherries and deerberries and only occasionally on willows. However viceroys feed only on willows.
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Viceroy Caterpillar
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Wild Indigo Duskywing Caterpillar
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Yucca Giant-Skipper Caterpillar
The Yucca Giant-skipper caterpillar feeds on the tubers of yuccas.
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Yucca Giant-skipper Caterpillar
The Yucca Giant-skipper caterpillar constructs a tube at the base of yuccas within which it lives.
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Zarucco Duskywing Skipper Caterpillar
This caterpillar is feeding on American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens), the native non-invasive vine.
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Zebra Longwing Caterpillar
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Zebra Swallowtail Caterpillar
Very young Zebra Swallowtail caterpillars are dark. This caterpillar was on the leaf of a slimleaf Pawpaw (Asimina angustifolia).
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Zebra Swallowtail Caterpillar
Zebra Swallowtail caterpillars can be found chewing inside the flowers of pawpaws (Asimina spp.)
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Zebra Swallowtail Caterpillar