Common Crow

throughout its life the caterpillar stays on the underside of the leaves. the caterpillar is uniformly cylindrical... vividly coloured and smooth. it has alternate white and dark brown or black transverse bands. just above the legs and prolegs... along the entire body is a wide orangish-red band interspersed with black spiracles. the most striking characteristics are the four pairs of long black tentacles. the first pair is movable and is also the longest. the tentacles are present on the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 12th segments. the head is shiny... smooth and has alternating black and white semicircular bands. the pupa of this species is one of the most wonderful sights in nature. it is shiny golden in colour and compact. the wing margins and margins of the abdominal segments are marked with broad colourless bands.