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Caterpillars become fascinating butterflies. It is worth taking a close look at these. Many caterpillars are colorfully patterned, some are conspicuously hairy. We present 12 domestic caterpillars with hair.

In a nutshell

  • Caterpillar with hair is usually the larva of a butterfly
  • Colors to protect against predators often perfectly adapted to the environment
  • bright colors signal danger
  • Attention, caterpillar hairs can be dangerous!

caterpillars

If we come across a caterpillar with hair in the garden or on a walk through the forest, it is usually a moth caterpillar. Similar to butterflies, plant wasps and beak flies also develop from caterpillar-like larvae, the so-called after caterpillars. These differ from butterfly caterpillars in the number of free segments between the breast and ventral legs. After caterpillars have one segment here, while butterfly caterpillars have two.

Types from A - D

Maple bark owl (Acronicta aceris)

  • Order: Noctuidae (Noctuidae)
  • Occurrence: at the edges of forests, very rare
  • Fodder plants: sycamore, linden, oak, beech
  • Development: one to two generations a year, caterpillars hatch between July and September and overwinter as a pupa
  • Length: 35 to 40 millimeters
  • Body Coloration: Yellow, white spots edged with black on back
  • Hair: Dense yellow hair, in the front area red tufts of hair
  • Butterfly: moth with gray wings
  • Danger: no

Notice: The caterpillar of the maple bark owl curls up in a ring when threatened. The caterpillar with hair then resembles a small ball of fur.

Brown bear (Arctia caja)

  • Family: Bear moths (Arctiinae)
  • Occurrence: Forest edges
  • Fodder plants: sorrel, nettle, blackberry
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch in August, overwinter in the ground, pupate between June and July
  • Length: up to 60 mm
  • Body colour: black with white warts
  • Hair: long-haired, black-brown with gray tips on the back, rust-red on the head
  • Butterfly: strong moth with white, black-brown patterned forewings
  • Endangerment: yes, specially protected

Beech plug foot (Calliteara pudibunda)

  • Family: Slug moths (Lymantriinae
  • Occurrence: deciduous forests, parks, hedges
  • Fodder plants: hornbeam, common beech, hazel
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch in July, pupate at the end of October, overwinter as pupae in a densely hairy cocoon
  • Length: 45 to 50 millimeters
  • Body colour: whitish or yellowish green to brown-pink, red tuft of hair on abdomen, black underside
  • Hair: dense hair in body color, light tufts of hair on back
  • Butterfly: Moth with light gray wings, front legs densely hairy
  • Danger: no

Types of E - G

Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea)

  • Order: Toothspinners (Notodontidae)
  • Occurrence: everywhere in Germany on oaks and hornbeams
  • Fodder plants: oaks, hornbeams
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch at the end of May, live sociable
  • Length: 45 to 50 millimeters
  • Body colour: black-brown back, whitish sides
  • Hair: warts with reddish-brown hairs, velvety reddish spots covered with countless stinging hairs
  • Butterfly: Glossy gray forewings with dark transverse bands, jagged markings at wingtips, hairy body
  • Endangerment: no, dangerous pest

Notice: The hairy caterpillars of the oak processionary moth live sociable in groups. They go together, in single file, in search of food. This peculiarity led to the name "procession spinner".

Ground Acorn Widow (Zygaena filipendulae)

  • Family: rams (Zygaenidae)
  • Occurrence: everywhere in Germany at the edges of forests, on rough meadows
  • Fodder plants: trefoil, thistle, heather, bedstraw, plantain
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch in July, overwinter on butterfly-flowered plants, pupate on blades of grass between May and June
  • Length: 20 to 22 millimeters
  • Body colour: green-yellow with black spots and black head
  • Hairiness: light yellow hairy
  • Butterfly: Ram with six red spots on the black wings.
  • Danger: yes

Notice: The caterpillars with hair of the ram contain poisonous substances. The bright colors warn birds and predators of the danger.

Large Cabbage White (Pieris brassicae)

  • Family: Whites (Pieridae)
  • Occurrence: Fields, meadows, gardens
  • Fodder plants: cabbage, cruciferous vegetables, nasturtium
  • Development: two to three generations a year, third generation overwinters as a pupa
  • Length: 40 to 45 millimeters
  • Body coloring: young caterpillars light yellow with a brown head, become darker after each moult, older caterpillars are spotted black
  • Hairiness: older caterpillars have black hairs
  • Butterfly: white butterfly with a black spot on the wings
  • Endangerment: no, vermin

Types of M - S

Moonbird (Phalera bucephala)

  • Family: Tooth moth (Notodontidae)
  • Occurrence: deciduous forests, parks
  • Fodder plants: linden, beech, laburnum, alder, birch, hazel
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch in July, initially live sociable, overwinter as a pupa
  • Length: 55 to 60 millimeters
  • Body colour: black with orange horizontal stripes and white-yellow vertical stripes, black head
  • Hairiness: white hairy
  • Butterfly: Moth with grey, silver-scaled forewings with a light moonspot, body very hairy
  • Danger: no

Sloe moth (Orgyia antiqua)

  • Family: Slug moths (Lymantriinae)
  • Occurrence: forests, gardens
  • Fodder plants: blackthorn, hawthorn, sycamore maple
  • Development: two generations per year, caterpillars hatch in May and August Length: 25 to 30 millimeters
  • Body colour: grey, patterned red and black on back, red point warts
  • Hair: four yellowish to brownish tufts of hair on the back, tufts of white hair on the point warts
  • Butterfly: Males are slender with rusty brown wings, females are wingless with a thick abdomen
  • Danger: no

Notice: The caterpillar with hairs of the sloe moth is one of the most beautiful caterpillars in Central Europe.

gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)

  • Order: Inertial spinners (Notodontidae)
  • Occurrence: deciduous forests, meadow orchards
  • Fodder plants: oaks, hornbeams
  • Development: one generation per year, eggs overwinter, caterpillars hatch in spring
  • Length: 40 to 70 millimeters, female caterpillars larger than males
  • Body colour: grey, finely spotted, blue or red warts
  • Hairiness: Dense hairiness on the warts, stinging hairs
  • Butterfly: strong moth, males dark brown, females yellowish white, significantly larger than the male
  • Endangerment: no, dangerous pest

Types of T - Z

Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis Antiopa)

  • Family: Nymphalidae
  • Occurrence: humid deciduous forests
  • Fodder plants: willow, birch
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch in June, live sociable, pupate in July
  • Length: 50 to 55 millimeters
  • Body colour: black, white spots, orange-red spots on the back, black spines
  • Hairiness: finely white hairy
  • Butterfly: Dark brown with creamy white serrated wing margins
  • Danger: yes

White-spotted sapling (Amata phegea)

  • Family: Bear moths (Arctiinae)
  • Occurrence: Northeast Germany, Nahe Valley, Southern Alps
  • Fodder plants: heather, bedstraw, plantain
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch in August, overwinter in the ground, pupate between June and July
  • Length: up to 30 mm
  • Body colour: black with rust red head
  • Hair: grey-brown dense tufts of hair on the warts
  • Butterfly: strong moth with blue-black fore and hind wings spotted with white
  • Endangerment: yes, specially protected

Spurge Ringlet Moth (Malacosoma castrensis)

  • Family: Mother hens (Lasiocampidae)
  • Occurrence: Dry grasslands, sheep pastures
  • Fodder plants: cypress spurge
  • Development: one generation per year, caterpillars hatch at the end of April, live gregariously, pupate at the end of June
  • Length: 55 to 60 millimeters
  • Body colour: grey-blue, light back line, orange and dark gray longitudinal lines
  • Hairiness: laterally hairy
  • Butterfly: Strong moth with tawny forewings and dark brown hindwings, body densely hairy
  • Danger: no

frequently asked Questions

Why are oak processionary caterpillars dangerous even without direct contact?

The hairy caterpillar of the oak processionary moth has short cilia in addition to the long red-brown hairs on the warts. These detach easily and are spread by the wind. These can trigger severe allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

How are allergic reactions to oak processionary moth hair manifested?

Contact with the hairs of the oak processionary moth caterpillar can cause redness, nodules, and wheals resembling insect bites. In addition, sufferers complain of severe itching. Allergy sufferers can react with irritation of the mucous membranes in the mouth and nose, shortness of breath, coughing and asthma. Anyone who notices these symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. If you come into contact with a caterpillar with hair, change your clothes. Avoid infested areas.

Do the hairs of the oak processionary moth pose a danger to animals?

Mass proliferation of the oak processionary moth can also pose a threat to wild animals and domestic animals. When walking your dog, try to prevent your dog from coming into contact with a caterpillar with hair.

Which domestic hairy caterpillar species are poisonous or allergenic?

In addition to the dangerous caterpillars of the oak processionary moth, the hairy caterpillars of the earth acorn moth, the gypsy moth and the spurge hawk moth are poisonous. Never touch a caterpillar with hair!

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Animals in the garden