Caterpillars turn into butterflies through a fascinating biological process called metamorphosis, specifically complete metamorphosis.
Here's a breakdown:
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Eating and Growing: First, the caterpillar spends its time eating and growing. It molts its skin several times as it gets larger.
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Pupation: Once the caterpillar reaches a certain size, juvenile hormone levels decrease. This drop triggers pupation. The caterpillar then forms a protective outer layer. This may be a silken cocoon (as seen in moths) or a hardened chrysalis (as seen in butterflies).
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Transformation Inside: Inside the cocoon or chrysalis, the caterpillar undergoes a radical transformation. The caterpillar essentially digests itself, and special cells called imaginal discs begin to form the structures of the butterfly, such as wings, antennae, legs, and other butterfly-specific features. This is a complete reorganization of the caterpillar's body.
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Emergence: After a period of time (which varies depending on the species), the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis or cocoon. Its wings are initially crumpled and wet, but they soon expand and dry, allowing the butterfly to fly.
In essence, the caterpillar's body is broken down and rebuilt into a completely different form within the protective pupal stage.
