Not too long ago I featured a larval short-winged green grasshopper that except for being much smaller, looked just like the adult grasshoppers. But that is definitely not true for all insects. For example, the pipevine swallowtail butterfly adult, which is one of my all time favorite butterflies, is gorgeous with its shiny, metallic blue upper wings, blue abdomen, and blue eyes. It’s caterpillars, on the other hand, are black and covered in large spikes. I wouldn’t say they’re hideous, but they definitely don’t look like their parents. Another insect that has a very different looking larva is the seven spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). These little larvae are pretty small, and I had never seen one before I ran across this one scooting around on a wildflower bush. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew I had to identify it. When I got to reviewing the photos and doing a little research, I was absolutely amazed. It just goes to show you, Mother Nature does some pretty crazy things!