- Caterpillar black and yellow: how to recognize?
- Possible caterpillar species
- frequently asked Questions
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Again and again walkers or nature lovers see a caterpillar and wonder which it is. The color is often an important feature for identification. For example, if you recognize a black and yellow caterpillar, these specimens come into question.
In a nutshell
- black and yellow color alone does not allow any clear conclusions to be drawn about caterpillars
- further criteria needed to be able to determine caterpillar species
- for example size, season of occurrence, hairiness, conspicuous characteristics or preferred food
- Swallowtail, scaly bear or black apollo are common
- Jacobskrautbär is a poisonous species of caterpillar
Caterpillar black and yellow: how to recognize?
The color of the caterpillar is only one criterion. In order to identify the caterpillars with certainty, you should consider other criteria:
- hairy or not
- season
- place of distribution
- size
- Sting or other conspicuous features
- preferred food crops
Notice: The color black and yellow alone does not allow a clear identification of the caterpillar species. Rather, you should consider the various criteria in order to identify the species safely and reliably.
Possible caterpillar species
You can seldom be sure at first glance which species of caterpillar it is. After all, over 3,700 species of butterflies and caterpillars live in Germany. Below are some species that are particularly common and are at least partially black and yellow.
Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Source: Emmanuel Boutet, Larva-butterfly-vulcan-larva-papillon-vulcain-vanessa-atalanta-1, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- up to 40 mm in size
- Yellowish-grey ground color with some brown and black spots
- dark or black head
- strong hairs, sometimes even prickly
- Nettles preferred food
- young caterpillar spins its own nest
- harmless caterpillar species for plants, humans and animals
Jacobean bear (Tyria jacobaeae)
- up to 30mm long
- bright yellow color
- black ringlets
- few but very long hairs
- white hair
- prefers dry and slightly humid regions
- sociable caterpillars
- Distribution between July and August
- Pupating follows at ground level
Notice: The black and yellow color of the Jacob's Wort bear caterpillar signals danger because it is a poisonous species.
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
- becomes up to 45 mm long
- no hair on body
- black horizontal stripe with small yellow-orange dots
- preferably near fodder plants and umbelliferous plants
- adult caterpillars are green in colour
Black Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne)
Source: Harald Süpfle, Parnassius mnemosyne - Black Apollo 03 (HS), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE
- up to 42mm long
- black ground color, partly also brown
- short spines on the body
- yellow spots on the sides
- endangered caterpillar species
- close resemblance to Apollo butterfly caterpillars
- occur between April and May
- hatches after snowmelt
Six-spot ram's rake (Zygaena filipendulae)
- up to 22mm long
- other name droplets of blood (for the adult butterfly due to its red dots)
- yellowish-green ground colour
- appears black-yellow due to a double row of black spots
- black head
- prefers grasses and thorn clover
- eat until autumn
- fully grown in June after overwintering
- sometimes caterpillars overwinter twice
Gooseberry moth (Abraxas grossulariata)
Source: Janet Graham, Abraxas grossulariata, Magpie, Fenn's Moss, North Wales, July 2010 (21221695301), Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0
- up to 32mm long
- pale yellowish colour
- black spots all over body
- orange lines on sides
- shiny head
- nocturnal caterpillars
- occur from June to August
- feed preferably on gooseberries, currants and other deciduous trees
frequently asked Questions
Why is the Jacob's Wort bear poisonous?The caterpillars' toxicity comes from their food. Because they prefer to eat ragwort, which is also poisonous. The caterpillars then store the poison in their bodies and become poisonous themselves.
Is the Jacob's Wort Bear Endangered?The German Nature Conservation Union classifies the moth and caterpillar as endangered in some regions of Germany. Due to the intensification of agriculture, the preferred food crop was pushed back. Consequently, conservationists recommend not mowing the affected plants between May and August.
How are the Admiral butterflies different around the world?The individual populations have adapted to the climate of the respective region. Since the 21st century there have been no more arrivals of butterflies from southern and central Europe.
When can the caterpillar of the six-spotted ram rake be observed?The butterfly flies in one generation between July and August. In September it could be the caterpillars of the six-spotted ram's rake if you spot a black and yellow specimen.