The Machaon caterpillar is the mahaon butterfly larva,insect from the order Lepidoptera. In general, all such caterpillars feed on vegetation, but you can also find "gourmets" who do not disdain mushrooms and animal remains. Although such individuals are extremely rare, but nevertheless they are.
Гусеница бабочки махаон очень нелюбима людьми, engaged in agricultural activities, as it is not only very large, but also voracious. It can significantly harm the crop. The larva did not like the fact that it is capable of spoiling wool products.
Without insurance anywhere
Like any other butterfly larvae, the caterpillarSwallowtail, able to allocate a thin, but durable silk thread. Usually they use it in order to firmly attach the cocoon to the support on which the pupa will be located. But this thread has another use. When the caterpillar swallowtail crawls on the ground or on a plant, it always leaves behind itself a thin, barely visible thread of silk, which serves as a kind of insurance. Thus, when the caterpillar falls from the leaf, it does not fall down, but hangs on this, prepared in advance “Lounge”.
Distinctive features
The caterpillar swallowtail has a green color,diluted with black stripes and dots of yellow. This color is not found in other species of caterpillars, but this is not the main feature of this species. The most important distinguishing feature, according to which the caterpillar of the Machaon butterfly can be distinguished from any other, is bright orange and sometimes even red horns. At rest, they are hidden, and they are not visible, but it is only a little caterpillar excited a little, as these horns are rapidly straightening, thereby scaring other insects or small birds. And for greater persuasiveness, they sometimes can emit odorous substances, and then the caterpillar is unlikely anyone will want to eat.
Evolution
As soon as the larva hatches from the egg, it immediatelybegins to eat, and there is in very large quantities. They feed on plants such as parsley, hogweed and other umbrella and compositae. By the end of summer, the caterpillar grows so much and gets fatter that it simply can no longer eat and hardly moves. As soon as such a moment comes, the larva attaches to the stalk, hangs upside down and eventually turns into a pupa, imprisoned in a cocoon. The cocoon itself is usually brown or light brown in color. In this form, the pupa is found throughout the winter, and in the spring, as soon as everything blooms around it, it turns into a beautiful magnificent Mahaon butterfly.
On the verge of extinction
Today in some areas thesebutterflies and caterpillars are listed in the local Red Books. This is due to their taste preferences, which include, for example, dill. That is why most people destroy the caterpillars and remove them from their plots, because if this is not done, they can significantly reduce the yield of greenery. Thus, if you see this lovely motley caterpillar on your plot, you should not kill it, because it is not only very rare. From this "strider" one day a beautiful butterfly will appear. Want to see what a Machaon caterpillar looks like? Photos are presented in this article.
