The caterpillars of a very small number of moth species, such as Milionia basalis pryeri, may go on to eat the bark of trees once they have finished the leaves. But the vast majority of caterpillars do not "bite the hand that feeds them" in this way. Generally speaking, the next spring--or even after a month or two--the tree will sprout new foliage and be restored to its former glory.
除了極少數蛾類，如黃帶枝尺蛾毛毛蟲啃完葉片可能繼續啃食樹皮，絕大部份毛毛蟲是不會將自己的「衣食父母」趕盡殺絕的，大樹自有回春之時，往往第二年、甚至個把月，又大抽枝條，欣欣向榮。