How do Caterpillars breathe?
  
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


Caterpillar of Cephonodes kingii, SPHINGIDAE,
with white spiracles outlined in red along its sides

On each side of each segment there is an oval opening called the spiracle. All the spiracles on one side leads in to a single branching tube, the trachea, that delivers air to all of the segments. The Caterpillar does not actually breath, but the compression and extension of each segment as the Caterpillar moves causes the air to go in and out of the spiracles so that oxygen can be taken in, and carbon dioxide given out.

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(updated 5 March 2007, 12 October 2021)