Caterpillars - you may think them ugly but wait till they transform into winged adults. The immature form of butterflies and moths could be something very beautiful when they grow up and yes, they hold plenty of other surprises! For instance, just when you think they are docile and passive, you'd find that the one in your garden has spines and hairs that sting. Yet, they are not poisonous and when some caterpillars, being the voracious eaters they are, eat up an entire garden or forest, and you are convinced that they are herbivores, someone may introduce you to species which eat insects or the cannibalistic ones which eat their own kinds. Then, there are caterpillars which feed on animal products like wools or hooves or horns. The caterpillars which are herbivores may also just pick on specific trees and plants. Many caterpillars are therefore not pests like what most of us would like to think since many do little or no damage. Some in fact, may be beneficial to mankind, producing silk and even become food for both man and animals alike.
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