Fall armyworms can have a devastating impact on your lawn. These large, destructive, brown-striped caterpillars eat through plant tissue, damaging grass and causing brown patches to appear. These caterpillars are the larval stages of moths, and they damage lawns, pastures, and hayfields throughout the tropical regions of the western hemisphere from the United States to Argentina.

Black and orange caterpillars represent the larval stage of various moths and butterflies. These chubby, worm-like crawling insects can feature black and orange stripes, fuzzy orange bodies with black bands, or tufts of spiny hairs protruding from their black and orange forms. Certain orange and black fuzzy caterpillars may even appear intimidating, with noticeable black spikes adorning their backs and heads.

Tent worms are species of caterpillars in the genus Malacosoma. Also called tent caterpillars, they have long slender bodies up to 2” (5 cm) long with white marks on their back and hairy spines. Distributed throughout much of the United States and Canada, tent worms get their name from the large tent-like webs that they spin to protect larvae from predators and the elements.

Furry caterpillars are a fascinating type of insect that usually turn into moths. Most types of furry caterpillars feed on the leaves of plants and trees. Although many hairy caterpillars look scary, most are quite harmless. There are some spiky caterpillars that are poisonous and can give you a bee-like sting or cause skin irritation. So, until you identify the exact caterpillar species, you should avoid handling the furry ones without protective gloves.

While most types of caterpillars are harmless, there are some species of stinging caterpillars. Caterpillars that sting are generally hairy or have spikes on their bodies. Handling one of these dangerous caterpillars could leave you with a nasty sting similar to a bee’s sting. Before picking up any kind of caterpillar, it is important to identify the species to know if it is harmless or not.

White caterpillars are the larvae of various moth and butterfly species. There are several different types of white caterpillars, all with unique identifying characteristics. For example, many fuzzy white caterpillars like hickory tussock moth caterpillars have stinging spines and cause skin irritation when handled. Others like white flannel moth caterpillars have venom-filled spines. However, not all white furry caterpillars are stinging varieties. Some white caterpillars like the silkworm have smooth bodies and identifiable markings.

Black spiky caterpillars are unusual types of butterfly or moth larvae. The dark-colored, worm-like bugs can have a menacing appearance with their jet-black bodies, light or white markings, and fleshy spines or spikes on their body. Black caterpillars are typically not venomous despite their spikes because they don’t contain poison-filled spines.