13 Weird (but COMMON) Caterpillars in Quebec (2023)
What kinds of caterpillars can you find in Quebec?
Caterpillars are some of the MOST fascinating insects in the world! It always amazes me that caterpillars eventually turn into butterflies or moths.
There are hundreds of different caterpillar species found in Quebec!
Since it would be impossible to list them all in one article, I chose the 13 most interesting and common ones to share with you. 🙂
#1. Monarch Caterpillar
- Danaus plexippus
Identifying Characteristics:
- This famous caterpillar is plump with black, white, and yellow bands.
- Its legs and pro-legs are pronounced, and each end of its body has spindly black tentacles.
- The Monarch’s preferred host plant is milkweed.
Like the adult butterfly, the Monarch is one of the most well-recognized caterpillars in southern Quebec!
Their distinctive stripes and tentacles make them look cartoonish. But this highly visible coloring sends a message to predators: Back Off!
Monarch Caterpillars are toxic to most animals, and at the very least, taste bad! This poison comes from their diet, which is almost entirely made up of milkweed. Toxins from the milkweed plant stay in the caterpillar, producing a bitter taste and poisonous effects.
If you have milkweed in your yard or nearby, your chance of finding Monarch Caterpillars is excellent! Honestly, there is nothing more fun than finding these colorful insects on our milkweed plants and getting to watch them transform into adults!
#2. Cabbageworm
-
Pieris rapae
Identifying Characteristics:
- Coloring is light green with small yellow dots along the sides.
- This species is small and relatively thin and appears velvety.
- Cabbageworms’ host plants are Brassicas, including cabbage, kale, broccoli, and chard.
In southern Quebec, this species is often called the Imported Cabbageworm because it isn’t native to North America. It was introduced in shipments of cabbage and other brassica plants and soon became an invasive species.
Cabbageworms are considered agricultural pests and can do severe damage to crops to their host plants. Cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower are all susceptible to damage. For a home gardener, the best way to deal with Cabbageworms is to prevent a large infestation. Plant covers, regular weeding, and varied plantings can all help with preventing this hungry invader!
One reason Cabbageworms are so damaging is that they are voracious eaters! They can easily skeletonize entire plants, eating everything but the toughest stems and midveins. Boring through heads of cabbage and making huge dents in broccoli are no problem for this Very Hungry Caterpillar!
Cabbageworms grow into Cabbage White Butterflies, which are one of the most abundant butterflies in Quebec! If you see a white butterfly in the spring, chances are it’s a Cabbage White!
#3. Woolly Bear
- Pyrrharctia isabella
Identifying Characteristics:
- Coloring is black with a wide rusty-red band in the middle.
- As its name suggests, the Woolly Bear caterpillar is covered in dense, coarse hairs.
- Transform into Isabella Tiger Moths.
- Woolly Bears are generalist feeders, meaning they will live on and eat nearly any plant!
As a kid, I can remember hearing tons of stories about Woolly Bear caterpillars – and the coolest part about them is that most of the stories are true! One myth you might have heard is that Woolly Bears can predict the type of winter we’ll have. Unfortunately, this one isn’t true. But there’s plenty of other interesting facts about this cute little caterpillar!
The most fascinating thing about Woolly Bears is the way they hibernate.
That’s to say, they don’t hibernate at all! Instead of burrowing or pupating to escape the cold, Woolly Bears allow themselves to freeze solid. They have a unique chemical in their blood that allows them to thaw out and continue in the spring as if nothing happened!
You may have heard that Woolly Bear Caterpillars are venomous, but this isn’t entirely true. Their hairs don’t contain any toxins or irritants, but some people are sensitive to the hairs and may get a slight rash if they touch one. It’s best to observe the species without touching them, just in case.
Woolly Bear Caterpillars and their adult-form, Isabella Tiger Moths, are found in incredibly varied climates, even the Arctic! Because they will eat almost anything, including herbs, tree leaves, and grasses, they can be found pretty much anywhere plants are growing. Look for them in groups near the base of plants.
Just don’t expect them to take over for your meteorologist! 🙂
#4. Viceroy Caterpillar
- Limenitis archippus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The coloring is mottled brown or green and white to resemble bird droppings.
- Two dark-colored horns on the head and small spines on the body.
- The chrysalis also resembles bird droppings hanging from a tree branch.
- The preferred host plants of Viceroy Caterpillars are willow, poplar, and cottonwood trees.
Viceroy Caterpillars are one of the ugliest caterpillars in southern Quebec!
This is by design; their lumpy, mottled appearance makes them look like bird droppings, warding off predators!
Interestingly, this isn’t the Viceroy’s only protection against predators. Viceroy Caterpillars eat plants that are rich in salicylic acid, which they store in their bodies. When predators try to eat them, they are rewarded with a strong, bitter flavor and an upset stomach. One taste and they learn to stay away!
Viceroy Caterpillars primarily live in open forests or fields, and they’re found across many different climates. Look for them during spring and summer, which is when the adults typically mate.
Interestingly, Viceroy and Monarch Caterpillars look almost identical.
#5. Large Maple Spanworm
- Prochoerodes lineola
Identifying Characteristics:
- Gray-brown coloring with small black spots scattered on the body. Often this species has a bark-like pattern.
- Thin and stick-like with a knob on each end.
- Large Maple Spanworms use a huge variety of plants and trees as hosts: birch, maple, cherry, apple, oak, poplar, walnut, and willow trees; geranium, soybean, blueberry, and currant plants; and grass.
This species has one of the best camouflages of any caterpillar in Quebec!
Large Maple Spanworms look exactly like a bit of twig on a tree, even from up close! So, it’s hard to imagine any predator observant enough to try and eat one, which is precisely its goal.
Their camouflage is the only defense Maple Spanworms have because they aren’t poisonous. They’re a favorite snack for determined birds!
When they’re not imitating sticks, Large Maple Spanworms have an interesting way of getting around! They plant their front legs, arch their back in the air, and bring their back legs forward to meet their front. Then, they throw their front forward and repeat the whole process. They’re one of many caterpillars that move like this, earning them nicknames like inchworm, looper, or spanworm.
Large Maple Spanworm Moths are just as adept at camouflage as their larva – they look exactly like dead leaves clinging to a branch!
#6. Hornworms
- Manduca sexta – Tobacco Hornworm
- Manduca quinquemaculata – Tomato Hornworm
Identifying Characteristics:
- These two species have nearly identical coloring: bright green with tiny white lines and black dots.
- There’s a thin, filament-like “horn” on the rear end.
- Hornworms grow up to 3.5 inches in length before metamorphosis.
Tobacco and Tomato Hornworms are so similar that they’re often mistaken for one another! The easiest way to tell them apart is by the color of their horns. Tobacco Hornworms have a red horn, and Tomato Hornworms have a green or black horn. While the adult moths they grow into aren’t quite as similar, they do have the same coloring.
Hornworms are considered one of the most destructive caterpillars in Quebec.
They specialize in eating tobacco, tomato, and other similar plants and regularly cause problems for farms and growers who don’t use pesticides. However, relocating or killing the caterpillars can be enough for many home gardeners to deter any more from eating your plants.
One particularly disgusting enemy of the hornworm is Cotesia congregata. It’s a parasitoid wasp that attacks the caterpillar with venom and then lays its eggs INSIDE the living body. As the caterpillar matures, so do the wasp eggs, slowly feeding on the hornworm until it dies and the wasps hatch. Gross!
#7. White-Marked Tussock Caterpillar
- Orgyia leucostigma
Identifying Characteristics:
- Black and yellow stripes run the length of the body with a large red spot on the head.
- Many tufts of hair-like spines.
- White-Marked Tussock Caterpillars will use nearly any coniferous or deciduous tree as a host!
The White-Marked Tussock Caterpillar wins the prize for the most interesting haircut!
Tufts of spiky hair give this caterpillar the look of having antennae, a tail, and spiky sides. In addition, four white tufts look like paintbrushes sprouting from its back. Talk about a unique style! And it doesn’t stop there – on the adult White-Marked Tussock Moth, the Antennae themselves are covered in fur!
The hairs on the White-Marked Tussock Caterpillar and its relatives are called urticating hairs, meaning they can cause a rash. Although it may be annoying and itchy, the inflammation isn’t dangerous, and this species is not venomous.
White-Marked Tussock Caterpillars sometimes have population outbreaks, where a local population swells exponentially. When these outbreaks happen, it’s common for colonies of the caterpillars to eat all of the leaves off of a tree, severely damaging them. Fortunately, there are quite a few natural predators that aren’t bothered by its hairiness and they are able to feast!
Viral infections eventually stop many population outbreaks of White-Marked Tussock Caterpillars. Alphabaculovirus, which is a class of viruses that infect and kill many caterpillars, moths, and butterflies, is mostly to blame. Infections spread quickly through White-Marked Tussock Caterpillar populations because they live closely together on the same host plant. The virus causes rapid sickness and death among infected individuals.
#8. Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar
- Euchaetes egle
Identifying Characteristics:
- Tufts of black and white hairs cover the body, with one line of black-centered orange tufts along the back.
- The body is relatively thin and up to 1.5 inches long.
- As its name suggests, this species’ preferred host is Milkweed.
Despite looking very different, Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars in Quebec have a lot in common with Monarch caterpillars!
Milkweeds are the preferred host plant for both species. However, the really interesting thing about them isn’t what they eat; it’s why! Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars store a poisonous chemical from milkweed called cardiac glycoside in their body.
It doesn’t harm the caterpillar, but it does an effective job of making the caterpillar both disgusting and dangerous for many predators! In fact, Blue Jays have been known to vomit after eating just one of these furry little caterpillars.
The fascinating thing about cardiac glycoside is it stays in the caterpillar’s body through its transformation into a moth. So, even though Milkweed Tussock Moths don’t eat milkweed, they still have the benefits that the caterpillar’s diet created!
#9. Banded Tussock Caterpillar
- Halysidota tessellaris
Identifying Characteristics:
- Coloring is pale cream, yellow, light brown, or white. Black tufts on the head and rear end stick out further than the white hairs.
- One darker line runs down the center of the back.
- Its preferred host plants are alder, ash, and fruit trees.
The Banded Tussock Caterpillar is similar in appearance to other Tussock Caterpillars, with one main difference – it’s actually not a true Tussock Caterpillar at all!
This master of disguise is actually the larva of the Pale Tiger Moth. Unlike true Tussock Caterpillars, this species isn’t venomous. However, some people are extra sensitive to the hairs that cover its body and may still get a rash. Even if you’ve identified a caterpillar as a Banded Tussock, it’s best to observe, not handle, the caterpillar!
Banded Tussock Caterpillars have an interesting way of forming their chrysalis when it’s time to transform into adult moths. They use their hairs to make a soft, felted cocoon that keeps them from freezing over winter!
#10. Parsley Caterpillar (Black Swallowtail)
- Papilio polyxenes
Identifying Characteristics:
- The coloring is bright green, with rings of black and yellow dots down the length of the body.
- The head and thorax are slightly larger than the back, and the legs and pro-legs are pronounced and visible even from a distance.
- Parsley plants are the preferred host of this species.
Parsley Caterpillars, sometimes called parsley worms, are the larva of the Black Swallowtail butterfly. They get their name from their preferred host and favorite snack, the parsley plant.
At first glance, it’s easy to mistake a Parsley Caterpillar for a Monarch. But, the coloring is slightly different, and the stripes on the Monarch Caterpillar are a bit thinner. It would also be unusual for a Monarch Caterpillar to eat parsley or other garden herbs since they eat milkweed almost exclusively!
If you’re a gardener, you might consider Parsley Caterpillars a bit of a nuisance since they can decimate a parsley plant quickly. But, if you plant some extra, you’ll be rewarded with sightings of the beautiful Black Swallowtail butterfly in a few weeks!
#11. Cecropia Moth Caterpillar
-
Hyalophora cecropia
Identifying Characteristics:
- The coloring of this species changes with each instar growth. Most commonly seen in late instar; green with yellow, blue, and red bumps topped with black spikes.
- It has a large, fleshy body and very obvious leg appendages.
- Cecropia Caterpillars prefer birch, cherry, and maple trees for host plants.
Cecropia Caterpillars look more like aliens than anything!
Their bulbous bodies and multicolored, spiked nodules truly look like something from a sci-fi movie.
Look for Cecropia Caterpillars on maple, birch, and apple trees during late spring. They remain in their caterpillar stage for about two weeks before encasing themselves in their chrysalis for winter.
This species is one of many caterpillars in Quebec called a “silkworm”. The name refers to the silk cocoon they spin around their chrysalis in preparation to become a moth. The cocoons are brown and cling to the side of host plants, and look like dead leaves.
As strange as Cecropia Caterpillars look, it’s nothing compared to the adult Cecropia Moth. Not only is the pattern and coloring beautiful, but this moth is also ENORMOUS! In fact, it’s the largest moth in North America!
#12. Monkey Slug
- Phobetron pithecium
Identifying Characteristics:
- Coloring is tan to brown with a lighter underside.
- Seven pairs of projections stick out from the sides of the flattened body.
- Monkey Slugs will use any woody-stemmed plant or tree as a host.
You shouldn’t have any trouble recognizing a Monkey Slug Caterpillar!
Its body shape is unique among caterpillars in Quebec. In fact, with its fourteen leg-like projections covered in dense hair, you might even think you’ve found a particularly hairy spider instead of a caterpillar!
Monkey Slugs look pretty intimidating. Despite their tough appearance, their venom isn’t potent and usually only produces a mild rash. Individuals are solitary, so it’s unusual to find more than one. Their most common hosts are grove and orchard trees like apple and chestnut.
Look for Monkey Slugs during late summer, when they are most active and preparing to form their chrysalis. Their adult form, the Hag Moth, won’t be active until the following spring.
#13. Io Caterpillar
- Automeris io
Identifying Characteristics:
- The coloring is green with two stripes along each side, one red and one white.
- Tufts of short green spines cover the body, with patches of light green showing through.
- Io Caterpillars use hackberry and willow trees as host plants.
Io Caterpillars are highly venomous, and their sting is excruciating!
Fortunately, the sting is rarely severe enough to seek medical attention. Instead, most experts recommend removing the spines with scotch tape, then applying ice to the sting. Over-the-counter antihistamines and pain relievers can also help.
Of course, the best way to stay safe is to avoid touching Io Caterpillars. Since they’re so recognizable, this should be pretty easy!
Their tufts of green spines are distinctive and hard to miss against darker green leaves or brown bark. The red and white stripes on the sides are also helpful – they clearly say, “Stay back, I’m dangerous!”
If you know you’re going to be gardening or doing yard work in an area with Io Moths or their caterpillars, it’s a good idea to wear a hat and gloves. That way, if you happen to brush against one, you won’t have to worry about exposed skin!
Adult Io Moths are just as distinctive as their larva – if not more so! They have a beautiful pattern with large, prominent eyespots. There are two color morphs:
Do you need more help identifying caterpillars in Quebec?
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Which of these caterpillars have you seen in Quebec?
Leave a comment below!
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