Caterpillars preferentially follow trails marked by larger numbers of caterpillars. Typical prey include flies, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. In summer, gray catbirds will eat mostly ants, beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and moths. Its diet includes slugs, earthworms, beetles, caterpillars and other insects. Their prey consists of small insects such as flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. Various larger species of Coccinellidae attack caterpillars and other beetle larvae. Other researchers are trying to silence genes in ants, caterpillars and pollen beetles. These then hatch into larvae that consume the insides of the caterpillars. Larvae (caterpillars) are covered in hairs. "Aconitum" species have been recorded as food plant of the caterpillars of several moths. Sweetgum is a foodplant for various Lepidoptera caterpillars, such as the gypsy moth. Fruits attacked by the codling moth caterpillars have developed methods of resisting the caterpillars. Eggs take 3 to 8 days to develop and hatch into larva or caterpillars. Larvae of "Nemeritis" feed on the blood of the host caterpillars. Some tortoises take in excessive protein by eating caterpillars and snails.