Nothing beats remaining warm in a soft sweater with a penguin, snowflake, or reindeer theme throughout the winter. However, one chic caterpillar has everyone else beat.
If you look closely, you may see a line of dancing penguins going down the back of the forest tent caterpillar. The design seems to be a straightforward white stripe from a distance. However, Grandma may have crocheted the tent caterpillar’s markings herself because they are so charming.
Unfortunately, by the time the forest tent caterpillars hatch in the early spring, their penguin sweaters are out of fashion. These 2-inch caterpillars are often found in big groups all across North America, clustering together to deter predators.
As their name suggests, they spin webbed “tents” of silk in the crooks of branches or on bark, like big hammocks, where they hang out during the day.
The forest tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma disstria) looks like it has tiny penguins on it's back! 🐧🐛 pic.twitter.com/w6GHUZdyOd
— Sofía Villalpando (@sofiabiologista) August 15, 2016
The caterpillars hunt for food at night and graze on the leaves of their host tree. Although these caterpillars can defoliate trees in huge groups, healthy trees can rebound rather fast, producing fresh sets of leaves the same season.
After finishing their meal, the caterpillars seek for a folded leaf to burrow themselves inside and construct a cocoon. In the early summer, they emerge as fluffy moths.
So next time you see one of these little guys, stop for a moment to take a closer look and you might just get an adorable penguin surprise.
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