Caterpillar

A caterpillar is the larva of a butterfly and some other insects. The caterpillar hatches from the egg. It eats a lot, grows quickly and then pupates. In the pupa it transforms, hatches out and unfolds its butterfly wings.

The body of the caterpillar consists of three parts: Head, chest and abdomen. The head is harder because it contains a lot of chitin. This is a material with a lot of calcium. On each side of the head the caterpillars have six dot eyes. Most important are the mouthparts, because the caterpillar really has only one job: to eat.

Caterpillars have 16 legs, or eight pairs. However, they are not all the same. Just behind the head sit six thoracic legs. In the middle of the body, the caterpillar has eight abdominal feet. These are short legs that look like suckers. At the very end, it has two more legs, which are called "post-sliders." In different parts of the body the caterpillar has openings through which it breathes.