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.