Caterpillars Found in Florida

Because of Florida's often lush environment and warm, humid weather, caterpillars and butterflies inhabit the area. While certain types of caterpillars will vary by region based on food possibilities, many caterpillars can be found throughout the state. Many Florida residents do not mind having caterpillars on their property because they grow into beautiful butterflies, while other people are cautious of more threatening species.

  1. Types

    • More than 102 different species of caterpillars live in Florida. Caterpillars are often referred to by their butterfly names. Florida caterpillars grow into butterfly families like the swallowtails, whites, sulphurs, brushfoots, snouts, metalmarks and gossamer-wings. These butterflies include the giant swallowtail, large orange sulphur, Florida white, goatweed leafwing, snout butterfly, mallow scrub-hairstreak and eastern pygmy-blue. Some of the more common Florida butterflies are the red admiral, Miami blue and the dun skipper.

    Habitat

    • Once spawned, caterpillars typically eat until they are large enough to cocoon and develop into butterflies. Because of this, caterpillars find places to live where there are plenty of flowering plants and trees to eat. Caterpillars prefer green leaves and shrubs. While many caterpillars eat whatever they can, others choose specific plants to devour. Some plants develop chemical toxins that prevent caterpillars from destroying their growing buds and leaves. Caterpillars also require an area that is warm and humid, with plenty of branch cover to hang from while in the cocoon stage.

    Control

    • Farmers or homeowners who wish to do away with the caterpillars on their land can plant vegetation with chemical toxins in the leaves to kill off or warn a portion of the caterpillar population. Once the caterpillar is fully grown, their threat is no longer great enough to bother with destroying them, since they are basically finished feeding. However, young caterpillars rarely cure their hunger, so businesses around Florida offer pesticides to deal with these insects.

    Dangerous Caterpillars

    • There are four major stinging caterpillars in Florida: the saddleback, puss, lo moth and hag caterpillars. These insects do not actually have a stinger, but there exist spines that are connected to poison glands, according to University of Florida. Some people, as a result of these "stings," will need medical attention, while others may just experience a burning or itching feeling. People can usually identify these caterpillars because they are covered in a hair or fur-like substance or display sharp spines around the body that are often bright-colored to warn predators of the poison within the insect.