Common Types of Caterpillars in Tennessee

Tennessee is arguably one of the most beautiful states in the US. It boasts stunning mountains, rivers and wildlife of all kinds. One type of wildlife crawling around the Volunteer State is caterpillars. Whether you encounter them in the wild or in your own garden, here are some of the most common caterpillars in the state of Tennessee.

This is one of the most well-known caterpillars in the world because of its bright, distinctive colors which carry over into its life as a butterfly. The monarch caterpillar is banded with yellow, black and white stripes. The head is striped with yellow and black. They can grow up to five centimeters in length. Monarchs can be seen fluttering around many Tennessee gardens.

This destructive caterpillar is not native to Tennessee. In fact, gypsy moths were brought to this country from Europe in the 1860's. However, they are rapidly spreading through the south, and conservationists have put out many warnings for people to keep an eye out for the moth larvae or caterpillars.

Newly hatched gypsy moth caterpillars are black, and have long hair-like setae. As they age, the caterpillars have five pairs of raised blue spots and six pairs of raised dark red spots on their back, with fewer setae. Like the monarch caterpillar, they can grow to be five centimeters long.

Stinging caterpillars have bristly hairs which are fragile hollow spines filled with venom. If they pierce human skin the venom may cause pain, burning, swelling and prolonged itching. These symptoms can persist for days in some cases. The most populous stinging caterpillars to watch out for are the Io Moth, Puss Moth, and Saddleback caterpillars.

Io Moth caterpillars are green with a brown and white stripe running horizontally across its length.

Puss Moth caterpillars have long, thick setae, and can be light gray, golden brown or dark charcoal gray.

Saddleback caterpillars are green with brown at each end, and a white ringed brown dot in the center which resembles a saddle.

Tent caterpillars might be described as cute and fuzzy. However, they are also a gardener's nightmare! They live in nests of 150 to 400 in the crooks of fruit trees. The nests are more like thick spider webs, and they are strong enough to keep the caterpillars safe and warm though the winter. When the caterpillars hatch in the spring they are hungry, and immediately start eating the tree they were born on. A gardener's or arborist's best bet is to destroy the nests and eggs before they hatch. Tent caterpillars are black and golden in color.