Caterpillar

caterpillar, larva of a butterfly or moth (Lepidoptera). Most caterpillars have cylindrical bodies consisting of multiple segments, with three pairs of true legs on the thorax and several pairs of short, fleshy prolegs on the abdomen. The head has six small eyes (stemmata) on each side that function in light detection but not in image formation. They have short segmented antennae and strong jaws. Many caterpillars within the order Lepidoptera are called worms, such as the measuring worm, silkworm, and armyworm.