Before hatching, when a caterpillar is still developing inside its egg, it grows an imaginal disc for each of the adult body parts it will need as a mature butterfly or moth—discs for its eyes, for its wings, its legs and so on.
In some species, these imaginal discs remain dormant throughout the caterpillar's life; in other species, the discs begin to take the shape of adult body parts even before the caterpillar forms a chrysalis or cocoon. Some caterpillars walk around with tiny rudimentary wings tucked inside their bodies, though you would never know it by looking at them.
Once a caterpillar has disintegrated all of its tissues except for the imaginal discs, those discs use the protein-rich soup all around them to fuel the rapid cell division required to form the wings, antennae, legs, eyes, genitals and all the other features of an adult butterfly or moth.
The imaginal disc for a fruit fly's wing, for example, might begin with only 50 cells and increase to more than 50, cells by the end of metamorphosis. Depending on the species, certain caterpillar muscles and sections of the nervous system are largely preserved in the adult butterfly. One study even suggests that moths remember what they learned in later stages of their lives as caterpillars. Getting a look at this metamorphosis as it happens is difficult; disturbing a caterpillar inside its cocoon or chrysalis risks botching the transformation.
But Michael Cook, who maintains a fantastic website about silkworms , has some incredible photos of a Tussah silkmoth Antheraea penyi that failed to spin a cocoon. You can see the delicate, translucent jade wings, antennae and legs of a pupa that has not yet matured into an adult moth—a glimpse of what usually remains concealed. Ferris Jabr is a contributing writer for Scientific American.
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Confirm that the chrysalis is firmly planted to a high spot on its stick, and then carefully use a tweezer or small pin to slit the chrysalis. Unfortunately, not all caterpillars make it to the butterfly stage. Despite your attempt to help, the butterfly may not emerge, possibly because it has succumbed to infection or dehydration. The most humane way to dispose of the animal is to leave it outside near a flower or bush, where it can die a natural death.
Rachelle Dragani is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn with extensive experience covering the latest innovation and development in the world of science. Updated May 07, Life Cycle of a Painted Lady Butterfly. Facts on Caterpillars. What Does the Butterfly Do for Nature? How to Identify Caterpillar Cocoons. How to Preserve a Dead Butterfly. Inchworm Life Cycle. What do Butterflies do for the Environment? How to Keep Fireflies Alive. What Is the Life Span of a Ladybug?
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