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Why do caterpillars hang from silk threads and what are different kinds of caterpillar?
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Inchworms are members of the family Geometridae and can also be referred to as geometrid caterpillars.
There are more than 35,000 different species in this family.
Inchworms are not true worms but rather the larvae of the Geometrid moth, which is a type of butterfly.
It is not uncommon to spot these larvae drifting through the air or dangling from the canopies of nearby trees.
This activity serves two purposes: first, as a defense mechanism, and second, as a quick exit strategy for the caterpillar from the tree top.
To Defend Itself, The Geometrid Moth Performs Defensive Maneuvers
Caterpillars of the Geometridae family are able to avoid being eaten by hurling themselves from trees and dangling from the tree trunk at the other end of a silk thread that is linked to the tree at the top.
It is feasible that there might be several hundred worms dangling from a single tree at the same time if there are a significant number of the worms in the tree at the time that a predatory attack is taking place.
As soon as the threat is no longer present, they make their way back up the silk and resume munching leaves.
The Cankerworm
Cankerworms, which belong to the family Geometridae and feed on the leaves of trees, can be found in North America.
When these worms come together in big numbers, the amount of damage they cause to the plant life is astounding.
When there is no longer any food and the leaves have all fallen off, the worms descend off the tree by leaping and sliding along the silk threads on their way down.
Both the fall cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria) and the spring cankerworm (Alsophila verticillata) have their names derived from the seasons in which they occur (Paleacrita vernata).
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The European winter moth is a relatively new arrival in the United States.
This moth, which is also a member of the family Geometridae, feeds on the leaves of ash, oak, and maple trees, as well as blueberry bushes, apple trees, and certain blooming plants like geraniums.
If there are sufficient numbers of the caterpillars, the larvae of this non-native moth can quickly strip a tree of its bark in a relatively short amount of time.
In a manner similar to that of the cankerworm, these caterpillars will descend from the defoliated tree on a line of silk.
The Spanworm, Bruce Span.
These caterpillars are yet another member of the inchworm family, and they spend the winter as larvae on the trees.
In the spring, they descend to the ground on silk threads, where they remain for the duration of the summer before entering the pupation stage in September.
By the month of November, they have matured into adult moths and are ready to reproduce.
These caterpillars do not entirely strip trees of their leaves, but they can do significant harm and weaken trees if they are present in sufficient numbers.
Inchworms are not true worms at all; rather, they are a type of caterpillar that has legs at both of its extremities but none in the middle of its body.
This gives them a weird appearance when they move since it causes them to shift first one end and then the other, which causes them to arch their bodies as they travel. This gives them an unnatural appearance.
The fact that some people get the impression that they resemble a measuring tape is likely where the moniker "inchworm" originated from.
These little caterpillars are also known as measuring worms, which is another name for them.
The Story of a Life Lived by an Inchworm
Eggs of inchworms spend the winter adhering to the underside of leaves, where they will eventually hatch into adult inchworms.
They begin feeding as soon as the teeny tiny inchworms emerge, which happens early in the spring after they hatch.
Because the inchworm's skin cannot keep up with its growth, the creature is forced to shed its old skin whenever it becomes too large.
They will undergo this process multiple times while they are in this stage.
When they have reached the point when they are mature enough, inchworms will encase themselves in a protective casing known as a pupae, which will protect them as they develop into adult geometer moths.
What They Consume
The things that inchworms consume might vary from species to species.
This should not come as much of a surprise given that they are members of a family that contains around 35,000 distinct species across the globe; in North America alone, there are approximately 1,400 different kinds of geometer moths.
The majority of their diet consists of fruits and leaves.
Even while a single inchworm doesn't use very much food, big populations of them can create significant logistical challenges.
Inchworms are capable of causing significant harm to a variety of trees and plants, including apple, mulberry, blueberry, pine, and fir.
If given the opportunity, they will also consume the leaves of almost all of the plants in the garden.
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Many species of inchworms are nocturnal feeders, emerging only at night when there are fewer potential threats to their food source.
The darkness makes it harder for their potential predators to locate them as well.
Some species of inchworms are known to be active during the day, although even those that do so almost always have alternative defense mechanisms at their disposal.
Dodging Danger
Some species of inchworm are capable of spinning silk quite similar to that produced by spiders.
They are able to quickly detach themselves from the leaves they are feeding on and suspend themselves from the end of a strand made of silk when danger is near.
The silk is first pliable but eventually becomes rigid, and once the threat has gone, the inchworms are able to crawl back up to the leaves where they were eating before they were trapped.
Legends of the Inchworm
An old tale that originated in Kentucky makes reference to the method in which an inchworm crawls, as if it were measuring something.
It is said that if an inchworm crawls on you, it is because he is taking your measurements for your casket.
The reality is that he is most likely seeking for something to eat at this very moment.
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