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Home » Forums » General Discussion

caterpillar antennae?

Greetings all,

My first post here. Hoping someone can help. As I give some presentations on pesticide safety I discuss the difference between insects and arachnids, also characteristics between adult insects and immatures. While describing body features, I always say that adult insects have one pair of antennae while immatures do not. Recently someone asked me "what are those things caterpillars have on their head then?"
I thought I remembered from my entomology clasess (years and years ago) that immature insects do not have antennae. While doing a quick search on the net, I do find references to "antennae" on caterpillars. But are these true antennae? Am I being too picky in saying they don't have them? Is the info on the net wrong (gosh, that never happens!) Or am I remembereing wrong from my early training?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Steve
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Contributed by Steve T on 15 March, 2011 - 10:46am

Well...
You certainly can't make the blanket statement that "immature insects do not have antennae." Some (for instance, the nymphs of crickets and cockroaches) have very prominent antennae. Even some of the orders that undergo complete metamorphosis have larvae with obvious antennae (see the lacewing here). As for caterpillars, at least some have "true" antennae, but they are very small (see diagram here).

Other (and better informed) individuals will be able to tell you more--and correct me if I've misled you in any way. :)

Welcome to BugGuide!
… Ken Wolgemuth, 15 March, 2011 - 12:30pm login or register to post comments

 
doh
Well, I'm ashamed. How could I not have thought about crickets and the like that go through incomplete metamorphosis? Of course they have antennae. Thanks for setting me straight.
… Steve T, 16 March, 2011 - 3:01pm login or register to post comments

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