Caterpillar poo.

We all know caterpillars eat, eat and eat, but they they also poo, poo and poo. In point of fact it is not called poo or excretment or even faeces, it has its own name FRASS. 

So why frass, where did that come from? It is from the German fressen meaning to gobble or feed as an animal might. We might say to pig or wolf down ones dinner. So frass it is then!.

Basically, frass comes in many sizes, dependent upon the size of the caterpillar. Caterpillars are basically eating machines and they eat, poo, eat, poo, eat and poo.

When you realize just how many caterpillars there are, just imagine how much frass is produced.

I have been under trees with good numbers of caterpillars where it almost appears to be raining, but the pitter patter on the leaf litter is not rain it is caterpillar frass. Frass actually is very important as it provides nutrients that will be readily available to the forests on the very next rain. The shape has to do with the intestine being able to absorb as many nutrients as they can from a very low nutrient food base. 

Here is an example of a Cinnebar caterpillar at Northward Hill along with its' 'frass'.

I am very familiar with Hedgehog poo when looking for them and otter spraint, next summer I shall be studying the leaves and foraging for fresh frass!

Whilst on the subect of caterpillars be aware of the Brown-tailed moth caterpillars around. They nest in webbed colonies in shrubbery and shed their hairs if disturbed, which if come into contact with skin cause irritation or get into the eyes or are ingested into the lungs can be serious.

Here is what to look out for:-

My thanks to Eliza Jane Saunders for the images.