The inchworm caterpillars are pretty much all nondescript, with most being a drab green, gray, or brown color. Some are quite striking, while others are more nondescript.
Geometridae is a huge family of moths with about 23,000 species worldwide and more than 1,400 just in North America! Given the enormous number of species, there's a whole lot of variety when it comes to the adult moths. When they draw their hind legs up, their body forms a little loop, which gives these caterpillars the common nickname "loopers" (although the cabbage looper and soybean looper caterpillars are not members of the family Geometridae). To move around, they clasp with their front legs, draw their hind end forward, and then clasp with their hind legs and push the front part of their body forward. Unlike many caterpillars, inchworms don't have legs running the entire length of their body instead, they have several pairs of legs at the front of their body and two or three pairs at their posterior end. The name "Geometridae" comes from Ancient Greek and means "to measure the Earth." This name is derived from the unique way that inchworms move around, almost as though they're taking careful measurements. Inchworms, like the one seen here with a leaf it's been munching on, are caterpillars belonging to the family Geometridae.
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