Special cells that were present in the larva are now growing rapidly. They will become the legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the adult butterfly. Many of the original larva cells will provide energy for these growing adult cells.
The adult stage is what most people think of when they think of butterflies. They look very different from the larva. The caterpillar has a few tiny eyes, stubby legs and very short antennae. The adults have long legs, long antennae, and compound eyes. They can also fly by using their large and colorful wings.
The one thing they can't do is grow. The caterpillar's job was to eat. The adult's job is to mate and lay eggs. Some species of adult butterflies get energy by feeding on nectar from flowers but many species don't feed at all.
Flying comes in handy. The Viceroy butterfly is smaller than the monarch butterfly, on average, but some monarchs are smaller than some Viceroys are, so size is not a good way to tell them apart. Viceroys have a black line across the hindwing vein. Celebrating Wildflowers. Why is Pollination Important?
Why Use Native Plant Materials? Why Are Some Plants Rare? Are All Rare Plants Endangered? How are Rare Plants Conserved? While some insects, like moths, spin a cocoon, a butterfly uses a chrysalis, which is essentially hardened skin. Different species of butterflies stay in the chrysalis, or pupal stage, for different periods of time. This can range from about seven days to more than a year, but for a large number of species it is less than 30 days.
The word "chrysalis" is often used interchangeably with the word "cocoon," but the two are not the same. Only butterfly caterpillars form chrysalises, and only moth caterpillars spin cocoons. Unlike a cocoon, which is spun from thread produced by a moth caterpillar, chrysalises exist inside a butterfly caterpillar and emerge once the process of metamorphosis begins.
To form a chrysalis, a butterfly caterpillar does not use silk. Instead, it hangs upside down from a leaf or other sturdy structure and sheds the outer layer of its skin. Underneath is a perfectly formed chrysalis, which hardens like a tough outer skin. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar's body liquefies and rearranges to form a butterfly. Some butterflies emerge from their chrysalises differently than others.
One of the most famous butterflies in the world thanks to their flashy orange wings and migratory habits, the beautiful monarch emerges from an equally beautiful chrysalis. A monarch chrysalis is light green with a series of shimmering, golden dots on the outside. From a distance, this chrysalis could be confused with a shiny, under-ripe fruit, but the monarch chrysalis doesn't stay green for long.
After around 10 to 14 days, its green color fades, and the chrysalis becomes transparent. This allows an observer to see the fully formed butterfly within. When the seam along the top of the chrysalis splits, the monarch emerges.
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