Growing out of your skin

The Death's Head Hawk Moth caterpillars are eating like mad and growing very fast. They've changed their skins again and now have black stripes down the side of their faces. You can also see the little white spots on their feet. When they change their skins they stop eating for a day, then literally burst out of the old skin and walk out of it.

The old skin, left behind - you can see their little black feet and wrinkly tail.

The new skin, complete with black stripes down the face and white spots on the feet



 

Two of the caterpillars are yellow, but one is green. I always thought they were different colours if they ate different food, but they're all eating Buddlea,so I'm not sure why they are different. The green caterpillar is much better camouflaged than the dayglo yellow version though!