It’s easy to think caterpillars and worms are the same. After all, they’re both usually slow-moving, and long and squiggly with the caterpillars even have the word worm in their name, adding to the confusion. But while they have a few similarities, caterpillars and worms are basically different creatures.
Similarities
Both caterpillars and worms can be pests or friends of humans and the environment. For instance, both can destroy plants (earthworms can eat the roots of a healthy plant, and caterpillars can polish off large quantities of leaves) but they are also food for larger creatures. While worms help with composting, butterflies and moths emerging from caterpillars help in the pollination of plants, many of which produce food for several creatures and humans.
The difference
Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies or moths. Essentially, they are just a stage in the life cycle of an insect. Worms, on the other hand, are not a phase; they are tubular invertebrates. One of the most notable differences between the two is that worms do not have legs; caterpillars usually have three pairs of legs. Worms also normally do not have eyes. Instead, they have what are called receptors that help them sense if there’s light or darkness. Also, while worms seem to prefer areas that are dark and moist, caterpillars do not appear to be picky in that department.
Here’s a trivia coming your way. The fall armyworm, which has been getting a lot of attention for its large-scale destruction of crops in India, is not a worm at all. It is actually the larva of the fall armyworm moth!
Picture Credit : Google