Inchworm (Geometer moth caterpillar)

Deciduous and coniferous forests, gardens, and shrublands

Generalist herbivores that feed on the leaves of broadleaf trees, shrubs, and sometimes fruit crops

Distinctive 'looping' locomotion caused by lacking mid-abdominal prolegs; many species exhibit twig-mimicry as a defense mechanism against predators

Can be agricultural or forest pests when populations reach high densities (defoliation); they are crucial ecosystem components as a primary food source for birds and other wildlife