Caterpillar changes to Butterfly

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Uploaded by on Jul 26, 2008

Over the course of a week, a growing Monarch Caterpillar became an adult. The caterpillar progressed from eating milkweed (Asclepias) to attaching its back feet to the eave of my house. There it shed its skin, became a chrysalis, and few days later, emerged as an adult Monarch Butterfly. I stood on a ladder with the camera over my head. Sorry for the quality, but the subject is cool!

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Education

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Uploader Comments (MilkweedPatch)

  • It sure takes a while for the monarch caterpillar to go into the chrysalis. I once saw a painted lady caterpillar go into the pupa stage, and it took only a minute to shed its skin and shake it off!

  • @wileyk209zback I suppose weather and air temperature affect a caterpillar's progress. Also I wonder how well fed and healthy the little guy was. Was the caterpillar fat and happy or did he run out of milkweed too soon. Each one is unique. Thanks for your comments!

  • This is one amazing creature. Such a beautiful piece of art. I personally find it sad that people discredit this as a coincidence or just a fluke mixture of cells/chemicals over "billions" of years... I think if we REALLY believed that deep down inside, we would all go crazy and there would be no order. What would be the point of anything we do on a daily basis?

  • @moguy200979  Yes, they are indeed beautiful and amazing.

  • I had a lot of questions about this today and did a lot of reading about it but this really made me understand it. just simply amazing. and no this is not " gods creation " this is evolution and just showing how DNA can evolve into anything it needs to be!

  • @ninhaxable Thank you! It warms my heart to read that the video was helpful to you. Metamorphosis is a difficult and complicated process for the little insect. Monarchs are in trouble. Plant milkweed and nectar flowers for them if you live in their range.

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  • At 5:17, the caterpillar's like "Yes, the old skin's free!" Then it gets ready to morph while inside the chrysalis shell.

  • @ninhaxable DNA is pretty smart? Where'd it learn that?

  • @MiddleEasternKeyboad: You are most welcome. :-) It is amazing to me, too.

  • Amazing! Thanks for sharing.

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