Meet a cast of chromatic caterpillar characters: Each possesses its own set of traits—colors, shapes, behaviors, and weapons—that helps it survive in its eastern U.S. habitats. See more: bit.ly/2E0TGRk (Video by Samuel Jaffe of The Caterpillar Lab) | bioGraphic

A moment we sometimes wait hours just to watch - the inevitable yet often unseen process of a caterpillar molting its exoskeleton in order to grow larger! And what better caterpillar to demonstrate than the magnificently colorful larva of our cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia. The most reliable way we can determine that a caterpillar is getting close to shedding (aka pre-shed) is by looking at its head. At the beginning of the video, look at the dark head capsule of the cecropia and you can see

Caterpillar-of-the-Day Follow Along: Day 135 For today's caterpillar, enjoy a video from the TCL vaults of caterpillars doing what they do best... eating. Here is one of our lovely native giant silk moth caterpillars, the Promethea, devouring a cherry leaf. Don't miss the fantastic conclusion at the end of the video! -------- - Caterpillar: Promethea Moth - Callosamia promethea - Host Plants: Black Cherry, Ash, Spicebush, Sassafras, Buttonbush, Tulip Tree, Magnolia. - Range: Eastern North Americ

This small-eyed sphinx moth recently emerged from the pupa stage! After emerging from the cocoon, moths crawl around to allow their wings to fully dry out before taking flight. | Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife

Caterpillar-of-the-Day Follow Along: Day 14 continued Each of our native caterpillars represents a complex community of organisms interacting, relying on each other, and feeding off each other. In this video we follow the life cycle of a native tachinid fly that is using a cecropia caterpillar as its host. The fly, in turn has been used as a host by tiny egg parasitoid wasps. It is important to realize, study, and celebrate these relationships. They remind us that nothing in nature stands in iso