Caterpillars are the larval stage of butterflies, moths and sawflies and they feed voraciously by biting and chewing their way through young and old leaves. Eventually they turn into a chrysalis before pupating into flying adults. They are often covered with long white hairs or have bright, colourful markings. Caterpillars strip away all the soft, green parts of leaves but often avoid the leaf veins which results in the foliage looking skeletal.
Some caterpillars tie leaves together with webbing and eat the leaf from within the cocoon.
Butterflies lay many clusters of small yellow or white eggs on the undersides of leaves and these can be picked off and squashed, as can visible caterpillars. Their favourite plants Wallflowers, cabbages, apples, gooseberries. What they look like Plant damage How to control them Their favourite plants Search for plants by plant name or sun exposure and soil type. Send your problems to our experts or read their answers to other gardening questions. Read tips from fellow gardeners.