The Common Buckeye Caterpillar (Junonia coenia) is one of the species with evolving coloring. Common Buckeye Caterpillar Common Buckeye Caterpillar Black spines are also seen across its body.īoth its spines and its red head are used to steer predators away by looking poisonous.Ī red hump-like structure is also seen at the back of its head, also believed to make the species appear more threatening than it is. This is also the point when its head becomes red. ![]() It triples in size and it becomes yellow and black or orange and black in its late growth stages. This is a species that only shows a red head into its late instars, as it’s born as a yellow to the orange caterpillar. Image by Ryan Sawby via inaturalistĪnother caterpillar with a bright red head is the Western Red-Humped Caterpillar (Oedemasia salicis). Western Red-Humped Caterpillar Western Red-Humped Caterpillar. Using pesticides and other types of chemicals might be recommended in case you see these types of caterpillars feeding on tree leaves too high to be manually removed. Removing these caterpillars immediately is recommended as they can be highly damaging to the ecosystem.Ĭomplete tree defoliation is possible years after a Red-humped Caterpillar outbreak occurs. A bright red nuance is specific to this caterpillar even if some can show red to brown nuances on their heads. This species has a yellow and black body as it matures with its head being completely red. It starts life as a yellow species and slowly changes its size and coloring as it goes to its last instar. Similar body coloring is also specific to the Red-humped Caterpillar (Oedemasia concinna) as it matures. Red-humped Caterpillar Red-humped Caterpillar If you have azaleas in your garden, this is the species most likely trying to eat and kill your flowers. Black and yellow alternating stripes are seen across its dorsal side.Ĭontrasting colors make the species look poisonous to most of its predators, especially birds. The rest of its body is marked by stripes. It’s only in the following instars that this species shows a red head and red prolegs. The first instar of the Azalea Caterpillar is marked by an orange or orange-to-brown color. ![]() Azalea CaterpillarĬaterpillars go through different growth stages known as instars. This is a colorful species that grows into a caterpillar with a red head, even if it looks different at first. White-marked Tussock Moth CaterpillarĪzaleas are the typical hosts of the Azalea Caterpillar (Datana major).
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