Some types also have hairs, spikes, or spots. Large larvae consume entire leafs from plants.
Young larvae feed only on soft plant tissue, leaving a skeletonized leaf behind.
Some species feed together in webs, so damage may be localized. Since caterpillars are butterfly larvae, some caterpillar damage should be expected in a butterfly garden. Large individual caterpillars such as the tomato hornworm are easy to find and remove by hand. Egg masses and groups of caterpillars found on trees or branches can be removed by hand and destroyed. For webworms in trees, tear an opening in the web nest so wasps and birds can attack the worms.