Turning a Caterpillar into a Butterfly

As a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, it is of interest to almost everyone. No less intriguing question is whether all the caterpillars turn into butterflies. There are 156 species in the order of Lepidoptera insects. The history of their appearance goes back to the Jurassic era, fluttered over dinosaurs, and the process of their transformation has not changed at all.

Where do the caterpillars come from: the life cycle of butterflies

The female lays eggs after fertilization. Under favorable conditions, a larva develops inside. The process takes from 2 to 14 days. At the end, they gnaw through the rim of the egg, crawl out. So the caterpillar appears.

The size of the first stage larvae is about 1 mm. Born with great appetite eat a lotare growing fast. As they grow older, an average of 4 molt passes, but there are species that degenerate up to 16 times. The duration of this cycle depends on the variety of the insect, the habitat. In our area, females manage to give birth to two generations, the larva develops about 6 weeks.

Caterpillars live under the bark of trees, in cereals, grain, under the leaves of various plants. They feed on juices and gain strength. At the imago stage, the moth lives from several days to 20 days. During this time, either eats nothing, or eats nectar of plants, juice of berries, fruits.

Interesting!

In the northern latitudes, the larva does not have time to go through the full development cycle in one summer, it remains to winter in this form, and continues to develop with the onset of heat. Northern species can withstand frost below -70 degrees Celsius. In Greenland, Canada, the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly lasts 7-14 years.

In conclusion, the larva forms a cocoon from self-produced strands, turns into a pupa. Clings paws to a tree, leaves, freezes. The most mysterious phenomenon begins - the transformation into a moth.

Conversion process

How much the caterpillar turns into a butterfly, being in a cocoon, depends on climatic conditions, the type of insect. From a few days to 14 years. Moths in our area appear on average after 15 days.

What is the name of the process of turning a caterpillar - metamorphosis. More precisely, holometamorphosis, since some parts remain from the larva. In this case, the paws. Specialists understand by this term the complete degeneration of forms. Just as a plastic bottle is melted, then a glass is made.

In a cocoon, it looks completely immovable, complex processes occur inside. The body splits, turns into a liquid mass with imaginal discs. To make it clearer, this is a similarity to stem cells, and any organs, tissues can form from them.

Upon completion of the process of turning from a caterpillar into a butterfly, the formed insect secrets a special secret, which allows you to split the walls of the cocoon. The head is shown initially, then the trunk, legs. For several minutes, the newborn insect sits without movements, waiting for the wings to dry. Then it straightens them, proceeds to search for the opposite sex for mating.

Amazing creatures

Caterpillars and their butterflies not always similar, the color does not match the color of the future moth. Some larvae have similar features - specks, stains of identical color. Only specialists and obvious fans of these insects can determine from which caterpillars, which butterflies appear.

Butterfly caterpillars, photos and names are presented below.

• One of the most beautiful butterflies in our area - peacock eye. The larva of this beauty is black with spikes all over her body. The change in appearance is cardinal.
• Other black caterpillars will become a hive butterfly.
• The amazing creation of bromei. The caterpillar looks like a stick, and the butterfly has a very interesting wood color.
• Green caterpillar with multi-colored pimples - cecropia.
• The black dovetail has a simply irresistible color in blue and green. But on the body of the caterpillar there are also yellow dots.
• Dalceride. It seems incomprehensible, an insect or animal will turn out from a larva. The appearance of the moth is no less unusual.
• Blue morpho is another creature that captivates with its appearance.
• Swallowtail - A butterfly, well known in our area.
• A butterfly that is used to make natural silk - silkworm. She leads a sedentary lifestyle, practically does not use the wings for the intended purpose, despite the fact that their span reaches 60 mm. The larva forms a cocoon of silk threads up to 1500 m long.

Have the caterpillars always managed to survive to pupation turn into moths - yes. Reincarnation always happens. However, in nature there are other insects, the larvae of which are similar to a caterpillar, but they are called worms. At the end of the development process, they are destined to turn into beetles, bees, flies, wasps. Sawflies are very similar to butterfly larvae; they are called false caterpillars.

People do not cease to admire some types of butterflies, they keep them in the house, creating favorable living conditions for them.