Caterpillar Coloring Pages

Make free printable caterpillar coloring pages from 13 pictures we drew ourselves: caterpillar on a leaf, caterpillar climbing a stem, caterpillar on a daisy, caterpillar stretching up, two caterpillars on twigs, caterpillar and a chrysalis, caterpillar under a leaf in the rain, caterpillar on a twig, caterpillar in the garden, spotted caterpillar, striped caterpillar, caterpillar and a snail, big simple caterpillar. Every caterpillar is drawn with the legs the University of California IPM program describes: three true legs at the front, one on each segment of the thorax, and fleshy prolegs further back on no more than five segments, never on the first two segments of the abdomen. They are our own caterpillars, not any book, film or cartoon caterpillar and not any mascot, and nothing carries words, brand or product names or logos. Print one big picture on a page, a grid of four or six small ones, a garden scene with two caterpillars on a twig among daisies and leaves under rain clouds, a fold-in-half card, or a caterpillar mandala with small caterpillars round the edge and a new pattern at the press of a button. Plain caterpillars to decorate prints 1, 2, 4 or 6 caterpillars with no eye or segment lines, so children can draw their own; one fills a 186 mm square on US Letter. Type a child’s name for a name page, or paste a class list to get the same picture for everyone with each name at the top. Choose simple, medium or detailed lines, never thinner than 0.5 mm. Download one multi-page PDF for US Letter or A4, a 300 DPI PNG of every page, or an SVG. No sign-up, no watermark.

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How to make and print caterpillar coloring pages

1. Choose what to make: one big picture, several small pictures, the caterpillars on a twig scene, plain caterpillars to decorate, the lettering poster, a name page, a class set, a card, a mandala, or a whole pack.
2. Pick the picture, or tick the ones you want for a grid or pack.
3. Choose the lines: simple for little ones, medium, or detailed for older children and adults.
4. Add a title, change the poster words, type a name or paste your class list, and pick the lettering.
5. Choose US Letter or A4 and download the PDF, or a PNG of every page.
6. Print on plain paper at 100% (Actual size).

What you can use it for

• Minibeast and garden topics at school: the caterpillar in the garden, on a leaf and with a snail
• Life cycle lessons: the caterpillar and a chrysalis
• Pattern practice: the spotted and the striped caterpillar
• Class sets with each child’s name
• Toddlers: the big simple caterpillar and the caterpillar on a leaf with simple lines
• Detailed lines and the mandala for older children and adults

The 13 caterpillar pictures

Picture	Shapes to color: simple	Medium	Detailed
Caterpillar on a leaf	33	42	47
Caterpillar climbing a stem	34	45	53
Caterpillar on a daisy	35	43	45
Caterpillar stretching up	33	42	47
Two caterpillars on twigs	61	72	76
Caterpillar and a chrysalis	35	44	47
Caterpillar under a leaf in the rain	33	42	50
Caterpillar on a twig	35	46	54
Caterpillar in the garden	34	48	57
Spotted caterpillar	34	49	55
Striped caterpillar	33	46	55
Caterpillar and a snail	36	45	50
Big simple caterpillar	28	31	33

Shapes are the closed outlines the tool draws for each picture at each level, counted by the tool. Simple keeps the caterpillar (head, antennae, segments, true legs and prolegs, closed eye) and the leaf, twig, stem, daisy or grass; Medium and Detailed add the smaller lines, such as the segment marks, spots and stripes, the leaf veins and the grass.

Plain caterpillars to decorate

Caterpillars per page	Each fits (US Letter)	Each fits (A4)
1	186 mm square	181 mm square
2	120 mm square	129 mm square
4	89 mm square	86 mm square
6	77 mm square	83 mm square

Sizes are for the page with No title chosen; a title at the top makes them a little smaller. Each plain caterpillar has no eye or segment lines (26 shapes: head, 13 segments, 3 true legs, 5 prolegs and two antennae with round tips), so the face and the pattern are up to you.

Simple to detailed lines

Lines	Outlines	Small details	Good for
Simple	1.8 mm	1.4 mm	Toddlers, chunky crayons, big markers
Medium	1.1 mm	0.8 mm	Most children, colored pencils
Detailed	0.75 mm	0.5 mm	Older children and adults, fine pens and pencils

Line widths are measured at print size. The thinnest line on any page is 0.5 mm, so every shape stays open to color.

What you can make

Page	What prints
One big picture	One picture filling the page, with an optional title at the top and an optional frame
Several small pictures	Four or six pictures on one page, each in its own box
Caterpillars on a twig	Two caterpillars on a twig with daisies and leaves, under rain clouds and drops; Medium and Detailed add the smaller lines
Plain caterpillars to decorate	1, 2, 4 or 6 plain caterpillars, to draw your own face and pattern
Lettering poster	Two lines of big hollow letters to color (“Garden” and “Friends” or your own words) above three pictures
Name page	Words such as “Colored by” and a name in large hollow letters, with three pictures
Class set	The same picture for every child, each page with one child’s name at the top (up to 40 names)
Fold-in-half card	Picture and title on the front, a small picture on the back: 139.7 × 215.9 mm (5.5 × 8.5 in) from US Letter, 148.5 × 210 mm (A5) from A4
Caterpillar mandala	A symmetric pattern with small caterpillars round the edge; every pattern number gives a new design
Whole pack	Your ticked pictures, one per page, plus the scene, the poster, three mandalas and a name page if you choose

Titles you can choose: Hello Caterpillar, Garden Friends, Happy Birthday, Best Friends, Hello Spring, or your own words. Lettering styles: Fredoka, Baloo 2, Sniglet, Cherry Bomb One.

Coloring ideas

• Green segments with yellow spots or black and yellow stripes.
• Every segment a different color, like a rainbow.
• Green leaves, a white daisy with a yellow middle and a blue sky.

Printing tips

• Every page keeps a 12.7 mm (half inch) margin from the paper edge, on US Letter and A4.
• Plain paper is fine for crayons and pencils; use thicker paper or card for markers or paint.
• Print one page first and check it before printing a whole pack or class set.
• Choose Detailed lines only with fine pens or sharp pencils, and Simple lines with chunky crayons.

More things to make

• Turn a photo from the garden into line art to color: Photo to Coloring Page.
• Draw your own symmetric patterns: Mandala Maker.
• A paper mask to color as a butterfly or a bug: Mask Template.
• A word puzzle to go with the pages: Word Search Maker.

Frequently asked questions

Are these caterpillar coloring pages free?

Yes. Every page is free to make, download and print, with no sign-up and no watermark. All the pictures are our own drawings.

Which caterpillar pictures are there?

13: caterpillar on a leaf, caterpillar climbing a stem, caterpillar on a daisy, caterpillar stretching up, two caterpillars on twigs, caterpillar and a chrysalis, caterpillar under a leaf in the rain, caterpillar on a twig, caterpillar in the garden, spotted caterpillar, striped caterpillar, caterpillar and a snail, big simple caterpillar. On top of those there is a garden scene, plain caterpillars to decorate, a mandala, a lettering poster and name pages.

How many legs does a caterpillar have?

The University of California IPM program says caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, one pair on each thoracic segment, and prolegs on five or fewer abdominal segments, never on the first two. Our side views show one leg of each pair: three true legs at the front and five prolegs further back.

What are the fat back legs?

They are prolegs. NC State University’s entomology course describes them as short fleshy legs on the abdomen, often with tiny hooks called crochets that grip the surface. They are drawn thicker than the three true legs at the front.

What does a caterpillar turn into?

Animal Diversity Web lists the butterfly life cycle as egg, caterpillar or larva, pupa and adult. The caterpillar and a chrysalis shows the caterpillar next to the pupa it becomes.

Is this a caterpillar from a book or a film?

No. Every caterpillar is our own drawing, not any book, film or cartoon caterpillar and not any mascot, and nothing in the pictures carries a name or logo.

Which caterpillar pages suit toddlers and preschoolers?

Choose Simple lines: big shapes with thick outlines. The big simple caterpillar and the caterpillar on a leaf have the fewest shapes, as the table shows.

Can I make a page for every child in my class?

Yes. Choose Class set, pick a picture and paste the names, one per line, up to 40. Each child gets the same picture with their own name in hollow letters at the top, all in one PDF.

Are there caterpillar coloring pages for adults?

Yes. Choose Caterpillar mandala with Detailed lines: each pattern number gives a different symmetric design. Choose 16 repeats for the most intricate pattern.

Can I sell what I make with these pages?

Yes. The pictures are our own drawings, and the note under the tool sets out how you may use them, including for things you sell.

How do I print the coloring pages?

Download the PDF and print it on plain paper. Choose 100% or Actual size to keep the margins and sizes as drawn; Fit to page also works if your printer cuts off the edges.

Is anything uploaded?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Names and words are not sent anywhere, and nothing is saved when you close the page.