Geometer Worms (Geometridae)

Some families of moths are not named after their imago (=the adults that can fly), but after their caterpillars. Moths and butterflies go through the full circle of life of an insect: egg, caterpillar, pupa and imago. Eggs and pupae are rather indistinct with no striking and unique features that can be used to name the animals. Caterpillars and imagos are in motion and are thus fascinating to men than eggs and pupas. Some moths are named after their caterpillars because these are even more interesting than the adults. This certainly applies to the Geometer Worms: they can erect themselves to look just like a twig. And when they move they bring the back of the body towards the front, forming a kind of curl. Then they lift the front up to the position that they form one straight line. There are plenty of them in almost all gardens, but many are small and difficult to detect. In this family of moths we find a few species that fly in late fall and, unless it's too cold, even in winter.