Life cycle of butterflies (metamorphoses): development of a butterfly. Transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly

Butterfly development: four stages of the life cycle

So, butterflies are insects with complete transformation - they have all four stages of the corresponding life cycle: egg, pupa, caterpillar larva and imago - an adult insect. Let us consider sequentially the stages of transformation in butterflies.

Egg

First, the adult butterfly lays an egg and thereby gives rise to a new life. Depending on the type, eggs can be round, oval, cylindrical, conical, flattened and even bottle-shaped. Eggs differ not only in shape, but also in color (usually they are white with a green tint, but other colors are not so rare - brown, red, blue, etc.).

The eggs are covered with a dense hard shell - the chorion. The embryo located under the chorion is equipped with a supply of nutrients, very similar to the well-known egg yolk. It is by this that the two main life forms of lepidopteran eggs are distinguished. Eggs of the first group are poor in yolk. Those species of butterflies that lay such eggs develop inactive and weak caterpillars. Outwardly, they look like tadpoles - a huge head and a thin, thin body. Caterpillars of such species must begin to feed immediately after emerging from the egg, only after which they acquire fully plump proportions. That is why butterflies of these species lay eggs on a food plant - on leaves, stems or branches. Eggs placed on plants are typical for diurnal butterflies, hawk moths, and many cutworms (especially lancets).

Cabbage butterfly eggs

In other butterflies, eggs are rich in yolk and provide the development of strong and active caterpillars. Having left the egg shell, these caterpillars immediately begin to crawl away and are able to cover sometimes quite significant distances for them before finding suitable food. Therefore, butterflies that lay such eggs do not need to worry too much about their placement - they lay them wherever they need to. Thinworms, for example, scatter eggs on the ground in bulk right on the fly. In addition to slender moths, this method is typical for bagworms, glassworts, many moths, cocoon moths and bear moths.

There are also lepidoptera that try to bury their eggs in the ground (some cutworms).

The number of eggs in a clutch also depends on the species and sometimes reaches 1000 or more, however, not all survive to the adult stage - this depends on factors such as temperature and humidity. In addition, butterfly eggs have no enemies from the insect world.

The average duration of the egg stage is 8-15 days, but in some species the eggs overwinter and this stage lasts months.

Caterpillar

A caterpillar is the larva of a butterfly. It is usually worm-shaped and has a gnawing mouthpart. As soon as the caterpillar is born, it begins to feed intensively. Most larvae feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. Some species feed on wax and horny substances. There are also larvae - predators; their diet includes sedentary aphids, scale insects, etc.

During the process of growth, the caterpillar molts several times - changing its outer shell. On average, there are 4-5 molts, but there are also species that molt up to 40 times. After the last moult, the caterpillar turns into a pupa. Caterpillars of butterflies living in colder climates often do not have time to complete their life cycle in one summer and enter a winter diapause.

Caterpillar of the Swallowtail butterfly

Doll

The pupae do not move or feed, they just lie (hang) and wait, using up the reserves accumulated by the caterpillar. Outwardly, it seems that nothing is happening, but this last stage of the amazing transformation can be called a “turbulent calm.” At this time, very important life processes of restructuring the body are boiling inside the pupa, new organs appear and form.

The pupa is completely defenseless; the only thing that allows it to survive is its relative invisibility from its enemies - birds and predatory insects.

Butterfly pupa “Peacock eye”

Typically, the development of a butterfly in the pupa lasts 2-3 weeks, but in some species the pupa is a stage that enters winter diapause.

Imago

An adult insect, the imago, emerges from the pupa. The shell of the pupa bursts, and the imago, clinging to the edge of the shell with its feet, while exerting a lot of effort, crawls out.

A newborn butterfly cannot fly yet - its wings are small, as if curled, and wet. The insect necessarily climbs to a vertical elevation, where it remains until it fully spreads its wings. In 2-3 hours, the wings lose their elasticity, harden and acquire their final color. Now you can take your first flight!

The lifespan of an adult varies from several hours to several months, but on average the lifespan of a butterfly is only 2-3 weeks.

Life cycle of butterflies

The life cycle of butterflies consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Butterflies are insects with the so-called full cycle of transformations, since the larva is completely different from the adult. The transition from one stage to another, or transformation, is called metamorphosis.

Testes are the first phase of insect development. The testicles must be kept safe and sound, so butterflies take care of this, some lay them in the soil, others fill the testicles with gland secretions, which harden in the air - a capsule is obtained, the capsules are usually camouflaged to match the color of the surface.

Another method is that insects cover the testicles with hairs or scales that are scraped from the abdomen. The female lays eggs in batches that can contain several eggs or can reach hundreds of eggs. Depending on the species, they are arranged in layers, in a line or in a ring around the shoot of the plant on which the caterpillars will feed.

In some species, the female disperses the eggs in flight. The development of the embryo depends on climatic conditions and can last from several days to several months, especially when the insect overwinters at the egg stage.

Larvae emerge from the testicles - caterpillars . They actively feed, grow and accumulate substances for the next transformations.

The caterpillar has three pairs of segmented legs armed with claws, and several (up to 5 pairs) false legs equipped with bunches of claws, which allows it to hold well on a support. Caterpillars of daytime butterflies are very diverse in color and external structure. They have a gnawing mouthpart and, for the most part, feed on the leaves of various plants.

Caterpillars grow quickly. Gradually, the outer covers (cuticles) of the larva become too tight for it, and they need to be replaced. Molting occurs, which is preceded by a period of growth. Most larvae have 5 of them, or even more if the larva overwinters. Therefore, the lifespan of a larva can reach from several weeks to several months, and for woodworms up to 2-3 years.

At the last moult, the caterpillar turns into a pupa .

The coloring and body shape of butterfly pupae are no less varied than those of caterpillars. Butterfly pupae do not feed or move; they are usually attached to branches, leaves, various objects (the so-called “belted” and “hanging” pupae), or lie freely on the soil - among fallen leaves and in the soil litter.

The duration of the pupal stage can vary from several weeks (in some tropical species) to nine months or more (in temperate climates with long winters). During this period, organs and tissues change and acquire features characteristic of adults, wings and muscles are formed.

A butterfly emerges from the pupa.

The adult butterfly (imago) quickly reaches sexual maturity and is ready to reproduce within a few days.
Depending on how quickly the butterfly fulfills this main purpose, it lives from several days to several weeks. The exception is wintering butterflies, which can live more than 10 months.

Butterfly mating

So, to understand how a butterfly develops, you need to start with the main stage of the life cycle - mating. Important factors in reproduction are the shape of the wings and their color, as well as courtship options - dancing and mating flights. Males can detect a female more than one kilometer away. Pheromones, as well as odorous scales located on the legs or wings, allow partners to find each other.

Mating of these insects occurs on plants or on the ground for from 20-25 minutes to several hours. All this time the individuals are motionless. By mating, the female gets the opportunity to receive sperm, microelements and proteins from the male. It is the last two components that play a large role in the formation and laying of eggs. In some species of butterflies, after mating, females develop an appendage of chitin on their abdomen, which is formed by the male at the end of the process. It is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of repeated fertilization with another male.

Sense organs of butterflies

Male pear peacock eye
The taste organs of many diurnal butterflies are located on the front legs, so they only need to step on food to taste it. Many moths have hearing organs located on their abdomen, with their help they can hear ultrasounds emitted by hunting bats, which allows them to escape. But the most beautiful of all senses is smell. The male pear peacock eye with his feathery antennae is able to detect the scent of a female at a distance of up to 12 km, determine the direction and find her by changing the concentration of the odorous substance.

How to care for a domestic butterfly?

Keeping butterflies at home begins with preparing a clean, transparent plastic or glass container. It should contain plants as food, soil and twigs on which the caterpillar can crawl and later pupate. Such a container must be covered with a fine mesh or gauze for good ventilation.

It is important to feed the leaves of the tree or bush on which the caterpillar was found. Some species are able to feed on different plants

But the majority prefer one thing - it’s easier for them to die than to eat unfamiliar food

Some species are able to feed on different plants. But the majority prefer one thing - it’s easier for them to die than to eat unfamiliar food.

Leaves must be changed daily. They can be washed and soaked in water - this will be an additional source of moisture for the caterpillar. To keep them fresh throughout the day, they can be placed in tubes of flower water. Larger containers in the form of vases or jars are not a good option. The caterpillar can easily fall into them and die.

The container with the caterpillar should be located in a constant temperature indoors. To maintain moisture, it can be sprayed with a spray bottle.

It is necessary to clean the caterpillar's home every day. For convenience, you can put paper towels at the bottom of the container. Caterpillars are very voracious, so they excrete a lot of excrement. Therefore, paper will make the cleaning task easier.

When the caterpillar reaches the maximum size for its species, the pupation stage will begin. During this period, the caterpillar may change color, eat less, and become lethargic. Over the course of two or three days, the pupation process occurs. A suitable temperature is considered to be 26-28⁰C with humidity up to 90%. It is necessary to periodically irrigate the container for optimal development conditions.

The pupa should be located in a part where there is enough space to spread its wings. It may be necessary to move the leaf or twig to a more favorable point in the container.

It happens that the pupa dies - in this case the cocoon is darker. If you gently bend it and the color does not change, then it is dead.

The adult individual - the imago - appears after a few days, or even weeks. After emerging from the cocoon, the butterfly does not eat for a couple of hours. She spends this time opening and drying her wings. It’s good when there are vertical branches or sticks next to the doll, on which the lepidopterous beauty can sit comfortably.

Poisonous caterpillars

Coloring allows you to distinguish a poisonous caterpillar from a “peaceful” one. The brighter the color. It is all the more likely that the caterpillar is poisonous.

Contact with it for a person can cause teething, redness of the skin, shortness of breath, various pains and develop diseases.

Coquette caterpillar. Lives in Mexico. Very similar to a hamster. Fluffy brown beauty 2-3cm long. on contact may cause chest pain and shortness of breath.
Saddle caterpillar. It has a bright color: the back is poisonous green and has a large brown spot in the middle. The head and end of the abdomen are brown with thick horns. There are coarse hairs on the body. There is strong poison at the ends of these hairs.
Lazy cleaver. Lives in Uruguay and Mozambique. The caterpillar is small in length, 3-4 cm. It is black and white in color with green tufts of stiff, milky-green hairs. Its poison can disrupt the nervous system and cause bleeding of internal organs.
Burning rose. The main color is yellow, with red and blue stripes. Thick horns have spikes with poison. Upon contact, the spines break off and a rash appears on the skin.

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Interesting Facts

The breathing process of caterpillars involves spiracles (stigmas), openings in the lateral parts of the abdomen and chest.
The total number of muscles present in the body of caterpillars is 4000. The head segment alone contains 248 muscles.
Caterpillars have poor eyesight. The stalks, which are six tiny eyes present on both sides of the head, help in capturing images.
Some species of caterpillars are poisonous in nature; they can shoot poisonous acids to protect themselves.
The smallest caterpillar is a member of the moth family. Some of them are no more than one millimeter in size.
The largest caterpillar is considered to be the Atlas peacock eye caterpillar (Attacus atlas). Its body length can reach 12 centimeters in length.
The most beautiful caterpillar is the black swallowtail butterfly with white, orange and black stripes.
During the process of growth, some species change color, pattern, number of hairs on the body and even shape.
The only period when most of them stop feeding is the time before pupation, when their bodies have already begun metamorphosis - the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. However, some species may not feed for several months during the winter.

Butterfly development

Initially, in the egg that the butterfly lays, there are two types of cells. Some are active during the development of the caterpillar, others begin to work when it pupates. After this, an intensive development process occurs in the body of the pupa, a proboscis, long legs and beautiful wings appear. At the same time, the respiratory, digestive and reproductive organs change. Only after all these important processes are completed is a new butterfly ready to be born.

Life cycle of a butterfly. 1 - the female butterfly lays eggs on the leaves of the plant. 2 - caterpillars emerging from eggs are very voracious: during growth they increase their mass several thousand times. From its mouth, the caterpillar releases a thin thread, which it wraps around its body and attaches to a branch. 3 - the caterpillar sheds its striped skin and becomes a pupa. She hangs motionless on a branch. 4 - the body of a butterfly is formed inside the pupa. 5 - after some time, the shell of the pupa breaks. 6 - the butterfly attaches itself to a branch with its wings dangling. Under the pressure of hemolymph (a fluid that replaces blood) pumped into the veins of the wings, they straighten. 7 - when the wings dry out and become hard, the butterfly can fly.

Order of butterflies, or Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera are the largest group of insects from the phylum arthropods. A characteristic feature of all representatives of the order of butterflies is the scaly multi-colored cover of the body and wings. These scales are nothing more than modified hairs. They have different colors and can create complex and bizarre patterns.

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Another identifying feature of the order of butterflies is the sucking mouthparts in the form of a long tubular proboscis. To eat, the butterfly extends its long proboscis, plunges it deep into the flower and sucks up the nectar.

The main source of food for the order of butterflies is the nectar of flowers, so they are considered the main pollinators of flowering plants. There is an opinion that with the advent of flowers on Earth, butterflies appeared.

Representatives of the order Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera, or Lepidoptera (from the merger of the words “wing” and “scale” in ancient Greek) is an order of insects distinguished by a dense covering of hair-scales on the wings. Most often they are simply called butterflies, moths or moths.

Archaeologists have found remains proving that butterflies existed during the Jurassic period.

Fossilized remains of a butterfly from the Jurassic period
In everyday life, they use a division into lower and higher butterflies, where the lower are micro-lepidoptera, primitive butterflies, and the higher are macro-lepidoptera day and night butterflies.

Separately, it is worth mentioning how to distinguish daytime from nocturnal insects, with the exception of their lifestyle.

Day butterfly. When resting, folds its wings flat over its back. More brightly colored than night.
Moth. In a calm state, it keeps its wings open, partially or completely masking its body. The ratio of body length to wing length is greater than that of diurnal individuals. The antennae are also thicker and more branched.

As for etymology, the Russian name “butterfly” comes from the Old Slavonic “grandmother”. Pagans believed that the souls of dead relatives visited the living, reincarnating as insects. To this day you can hear Old Believers in villages and villages calling them “babuchka”, “grandmother”.

The familiar “moth” is also derived from the Old Slavonic words “to dangle”, “revenge”, which means “to spin around its axis” or “to mix in jerks”.

The word “moth”, according to one version, is derived from the Old Slavonic “grind” meaning “to destroy.” According to another, from the Irish mil meaning “small animal”.

Methods of dealing with caterpillars

The appearance of caterpillars on plants does not bode well. These voracious insects can cause serious harm to a crop and even cause its death. In this case, at the first signs of their vital activity, it is necessary to take urgent measures to save the plants.

The following insecticides can be used to control caterpillars:

Bitoxibacillin;
Iskra M;
Inta-vir;
Senpai;
Monsoon;
Lepidocide.

To prevent damage, you can use decoctions based on tobacco leaves, chamomile, onion peels, tomato tops, and yarrow. The smell of these plants can scare off flying individuals, and they will not be able to lay eggs.

The first and second stages of butterfly development

After its birth, this insect rushes to eat everything in its path. During this period of its existence, the larva will shed its old skin several times (about four or five times). She will eat, accumulate fat and grow, increasing in size sometimes several thousand times, until the time comes to weave a cocoon.

The caterpillar's saliva contains a special secretion that allows it to harden in air, forming a silky thread. With the help of this substance, it is fixed on the branch upside down and begins to wrap itself around its thread. After the cocoon around her body is woven, she sheds again, this time completely, her head even falls off.

When the cocoon shell becomes hard, the pupal stage begins

The pupa is not mobile, so it is extremely important for it to remain unnoticed. Even in this dormant state, pupae of some species are able to change to the color of their surroundings, take the shape of leaves, and also emit hissing and even move.

At this stage, the process of histolysis occurs inside the solid cocoon, during which almost all tissues of the caterpillar are destroyed and turn into a liquid state, and new ones appear in their place. At this time, the embryos of the organs of the future butterfly are formed from the imaginal discs. On the surface you can even discern how the wings, legs and trunk of an insect are formed. This is the most exciting moment of the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.

The butterfly lays its eggs not just anywhere, but specifically selects a secluded leaf where they will be safe. Moreover, their instinct contains the types of plants that are suitable for this. The caterpillar that has hatched from the egg is not “on its own” leaf and may be picky with food.

After the caterpillar chews through the egg and gets out, all its actions are food. She starts from the leaf on which she was born and then moves on. When caterpillar populations increase dramatically, they can cause irreparable damage to forests, fruit trees and even grain crops.

During its existence in the caterpillar's body, the insect rapidly gains weight, so it sheds its tight skin several times. After the last molt, most often the fourth or fifth, the caterpillar begins to prepare for “hibernation” in the cocoon. Some of them have only a few days to thoroughly feed themselves, gain strength and nutrients, and cocoon themselves.

Life cycle of butterflies (metamorphoses): butterfly development

Numerous orders of insects are conventionally divided into two groups. In representatives of the first group, the larvae emerging from the egg are similar to adult individuals and differ from them only in the absence of wings. These include cockroaches, grasshoppers, locusts, bedbugs, praying mantises, stick insects, etc. These are insects with incomplete transformation. In the second group, the eggs hatch into worm-like larvae, completely different from their parents, which then turn into pupae, and only after that do adult winged insects emerge from the pupae. This is the development cycle of insects with complete transformation. These include mosquitoes, bees, wasps, flies, fleas, beetles, caddis flies, and butterflies.

How to raise an insect

It is possible to create an ideal living environment, but you need to consider a few important things:

Take a clean food container. Fold the paper towel and place it at the bottom of the container. Place a regular dry stick or popsicle stick (or two) into the container. Carefully place the caterpillar into the container. If it is on a sheet, place the sheet with it. If the insect was on the plant and is still eating, store fresh leaves in a container until pupation. If the insect sways, it needs to be cleaned

You may need to replace the paper towel from time to time. If an insect crawls into a paper towel and disappears, it is probably hiding before pupating. Once it pupates, the butterfly will hatch.

The process of turning a larva into an adult butterfly takes a long time, and during most of this period nothing seems to happen. It's even difficult to tell whether the caterpillar is alive or not. The pupal stage can last weeks and often months—many species pupate throughout the winter and hatch the following summer.

Transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly - the pupa stage

Pupation is the most vulnerable process in the butterfly's development cycle, and most caterpillars prepare carefully for it. The pupal stage in different species can last from several days to several years. A long pause (stop in development) of pupae is an adaptation that allows the species to survive unfavorable years. If in the first year unsuitable conditions arise and the butterflies emerging from the pupae die, the population is replenished by previously diapausing pupae that emerge the next year.

The butterfly formed inside the pupal shell has very short, soft wings. When emerging from the pupa, it needs to climb onto some vertical surface in order to hang its wings, which will give them the opportunity to straighten. After which the wings gradually harden, and during this time the butterfly sits motionless.

What happens during metamorphosis

Juvenile hormone delays metamorphosis at the larval stage. It works by blocking genes in imaginary discs—tiny disc-shaped sacs that are triggered when the caterpillar wraps itself into a chrysalis and turn into the butterfly's antenna, eye, wing or other element. Thus, the hormone is necessary for survival until metamorphosis.

As soon as the larva undergoes its final molt and metamorphosis begins, strange things happen to its body. Cells in the muscles, intestines and salivary glands are digested and serve as “spare parts” for the future butterfly. Every cell is programmed to destroy itself through the activation of enzymes called caspases.

Caspases are ruptured by a protein in cells, releasing the basic material to create butterflies. If not for the juvenile hormone, this could have happened at any time, killing the insect. Instead, nature programmed it to lower its level at the ideal moment for metamorphosis.

Once the caterpillar has expanded all its tissues except the imaginal discs, they use the protein-rich broth that surrounds them to stimulate the rapid cell division necessary to form the wings, antennae, legs, eyes, genitals and other elements found in an adult butterfly or moth. For example, an imaginary fruit fly wing disk may initially consist of 50 cells and increase to more than 50,000 cells by the end of metamorphosis.

Metamorphosis is more than just a stunning physical transformation. This is a clear demonstration of the evolutionary mechanism. Butterflies and caterpillars not only differ strikingly in appearance, but also behave differently. The caterpillar lives on a tree, and the butterfly flutters. The first eats leaves, and the second feeds exclusively on nectar.

How butterflies protect themselves from predators

To avoid being eaten by someone, some butterflies grow a tail, some use chemical camouflage, and some simply become poisonous.

Butterflies seem so fragile and defenseless to us that it is unclear how they even survive in this cruel world. However, they have something to oppose predators. Not long ago we talked about Saturnians Actias luna

which manage to deceive bats with the help of long “tails” (extended anal corners of the hind wings) - predators, instead of attacking the butterfly itself, rush to its “tail”.

Arhopala zylda larva and Crematogaster ants on a Macaranga beccariana tree. (Photo by Yoko Inui/Lambir Hills National Park)

Pictures of an owl and butterflies used in the tit experiment. (Photo by Sebastiano De Bona et al./Proceedings of the Royal Society B.)

Poisonous butterfly Pachliopta hector. (Photo by Paul/Flickr.com)

Caterpillars of the moth Zygaena filipendulae are able to synthesize cyanide themselves. (Photo by Cristian Arghius/Flickr.com)

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Another defense strategy is chemical camouflage. This is what, for example, blueberry caterpillars of the genus Arhopala

, feeding on the foliage of
Macaranga
from the Euphorbiaceae family.
Macaranga
are “friends” with ants, and not with any, but only with certain species.
Ants protect trees from potential pests, but Arhopala
feel quite comfortable on them.
An article that zoologists from Kyoto University published in PLoS ONE
says that it's all about cuticular hydrocarbons that impregnate the outer coverings of caterpillars. Such compounds serve as a means of communication for insects, so one might expect that butterflies would try to negotiate with ants in a common chemical language.

However, there were some peculiarities here. Thus, hydrocarbons of Arhopala dajagaka

coincided with the hydrocarbons of ants, which preferred to live on
Macaranga
.
The ants themselves, when meeting a butterfly larva, perceived it as their comrade and tried to communicate with it using their antennae. Moreover, extraneous ants, who had no special relationship with the host plant, did the same thing. On the other hand, the “chemical passport” of Arhopala amphimuta
did not coincide with the ant one, and their ants attacked relatively often, but only by alien ants.
Finally, Arhopala zylda
were generally devoid of cuticular hydrocarbons - and were simply ignored.
Obviously, A. zylda
decided not to disguise itself as ants, but simply pretend that they were not there at all.

Although the results obtained can be somewhat confusing, and some data regarding the relationship between ants and Arhopala

Questions remain, the general strategy here is clear - use chemical language to deceive the predator. However, this method will work if the predator itself uses a similar signal system. What then to do with birds, which certainly do not sniff out insects using cuticular hydrocarbons? Here, probably, many will immediately remember that butterflies and caterpillars are often covered with bizarre patterns that sometimes look like someone’s eyes. It is believed that the patterns are designed to scare away birds. But how exactly does this happen, why are birds afraid of such pseudo-eyes?

A year ago in Current Zoology

An article came out claiming that the characteristic colored patterns on butterfly wings deter predators by themselves, a jumble of lines and colors, and not by looking like someone's eyes. However, zoologists from the Finnish University of Jyväskylä believe otherwise. They performed the following experiment: a screen was placed on the floor of a bird cage, a worm was placed on the screen, and a tit was released into the cage. When the tit rushed towards the worm, a picture appeared on the screen. The pictures were as follows: an owl “face” with open eyes, an owl “face” with closed eyes, ordinary butterfly wings with an ocellated pattern, wings with the same pattern, but in which the colors were changed, and, finally, butterfly wings with closed “eyes” .

Tits reacted strongly to an owl with open eyes and to a butterfly with a normal eye-like pattern, even more strongly to the butterfly than to the owl. Other pictures, including the one in which the owl was sleeping, worried the tits to a much lesser extent. In a paper published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B

, the authors of the work conclude that the pattern on the wings of butterflies frightens birds precisely because it resembles the eyes of a predator that can eat the bird itself.

But patterns, tails, and smells cannot compete in reliability with such a means of self-defense as ordinary toxicity. Typically, poisonous butterflies do not bother themselves with synthesizing their own poison, but simply use the toxins that they accumulated when they were caterpillars, feeding on inedible plants. Pachliopta hector does, for example.

, the bright color of which speaks for itself.
However, some species of lepidoptera have learned to make the same poison themselves as the plant on which they feed. A typical example is the moth Zygaena filipendulae
. It is curious that its caterpillars produce cyanide according to the “plant” biochemical scheme, although the genes responsible for the process still differ in plants and insects.

Amazing creatures

Butterflies and their caterpillars often differ in coloring, so it is quite difficult to understand at the caterpillar stage which moth it will turn out to be. Despite this, some similarities can be found on the body of the caterpillars, in the form of spots or streaks. Therefore, only specialists who study these amazing living creatures know which caterpillars belong to which butterflies.

Below are photos of butterflies and caterpillars, as well as their names.

The peacock eye is one of the most beautiful and most common butterflies that can be found in our area. The caterpillar of this butterfly is black in color and has many spines on its body. It should be noted that there is a fundamental difference between a butterfly and its caterpillar.
Black caterpillars similar in appearance will turn into butterflies - hives.
Bromeas are quite interesting creatures, since the caterpillar has a stick-like appearance, while the butterfly has an interesting woody hue.
The Cecronia butterfly comes from a green caterpillar that has multi-colored pimples on its body.
The black swallowtail is distinguished by an amazing green-blue tint, while there are also yellow dots on the caterpillar’s body.
Dalcerida is such a unique creature that it is not clear what kind of creature will come out of the caterpillar. The moth also has an unusual appearance.
The blue morpho is a species of butterfly that has a rather attractive appearance.
Swallowtail is a butterfly that is often found in our area.
Silkworm. Thanks to this butterfly, man managed to obtain natural silk. When a butterfly larva forms a cocoon, the length of the thread is about one and a half kilometers. The butterfly rarely flies, despite the fact that its wings reach a span of 60 mm.

Peacock butterfly

Bromea and its caterpillar on the left, cecropia and its larva on the right

Black swallowtail butterfly

Dalcerida and its caterpillar on the left, blue morpho and its larva on the right

Swallowtail and its caterpillar on the left, silkworm and its larva on the right.
If the caterpillar managed to survive to the pupa stage, then it will always turn into a beautiful or not so beautiful butterfly. As a rule, they represent interesting, beautiful and amazing creatures. In nature, there are insects whose larvae also resemble caterpillars, but in fact they are called worms and from them various beetles, wasps, flies, bees, etc. emerge. Sawfly butterfly larvae also resemble butterfly larvae, but they are called false caterpillars.

There are species that are so beautiful and unique that people keep them in their homes, creating favorable conditions for them.

How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? | DeeAFilm

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Butterfly protection

≡ May 5, 2016

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Fluttering butterflies are the personification of a carefree life.
In fact, their destiny is a continuous struggle for survival. For this, butterflies have special adaptations, many of which are not found in other insects. The antennae help balance in flight and play the role of a nose - they capture the smells of other butterflies or food carried by air currents.
Males that search for females using pheromones have larger antennae. Compound eyes provide a wide field of vision. But butterflies do not differ in visual acuity - their eyes consist of 17,000 segments, giving a mosaic image. At the points of contact between adjacent segments there are long bristles that protect the eyes from pollen.

There is a special organ on the head called the jones organ. It is designed to analyze shaking and sound vibrations. With its help, butterflies not only assess the state of the environment, but also communicate.

Mouth organs, like other insects, are not found in butterflies: the upper lip and jaws and lower lip are either completely absent or they are barely distinguishable. But the lower jaws, on the contrary, are strongly elongated and form a proboscis. With its help, the butterfly sucks out nectar or other liquid food. Due to the injection of blood fluid, the elastic proboscis unwinds, and when this fluid flows away, it curls into a spiral. Not all species have a developed proboscis; many butterflies do not eat anything, but live off the reserves accumulated by the caterpillar.

The butterfly breathes through the thinnest tubes - tracheas, which permeate its entire body. Air enters them through special openings on the chest and abdomen.

The wings are actually transparent. They are painted in different colors by the smallest scales. Their number can reach several hundred thousand. The scales are different: pigmented with a dye; optical ones reflect and refract incident light, which is why the wings have a metallic sheen; androconials emit a scent that attracts males (sometimes the smell is so strong that humans can smell it).

on their paws , which are 2000 times more sensitive than receptors on the human tongue. Like the wings, the legs have scented scales that attract mating partners.

The abdomen usually consists of 8–9 segments, the last one containing the genital opening. Males also have special appendages on their abdomen - tweezers. With their help, the male holds the female in the desired position. Some species of butterflies only need a couple of minutes to mate, while others require up to 36 hours.

Instead of red blood, butterflies have clear or yellow hemolymph. It contains neither red blood cells nor hemoglobin.

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What do butterflies eat?

Pollen and nectar from flowering plants are the main diet of butterflies. Some species of butterflies are not averse to feasting on tree sap and rotten fruit. There is also such an interesting butterfly as the death's head hawk moth, it is notable for the fact that it loves to fly into the hive of bees and feast on their honey.

Sometimes among butterflies there are real gourmets, for example, some tropical butterflies drink the tears of turtles and crocodiles.

Interesting fact: among butterflies, there are also those that completely lack mouthparts. How do they eat?! But in no way, the fact is that in order to maintain life, they use up the reserves of nutrients that they accumulated when they were still caterpillars. One such unusual butterfly is the Madagascar comet. Of course, life expectancy with such nutrition (or rather the complete absence of it) is only 2-3 days.

Among the numerous kingdom of butterflies, there is also a real vampire butterfly, which, like mosquitoes, feeds on the blood of other animals.

Oral apparatus

Butterfly proboscis
In addition to color, butterflies have many other remarkable features. One of them is the oral apparatus, which is called sucking and is a proboscis, consisting of two modified, highly elongated lower jaws, capable of curling into a spiral like a clock spring. With the help of this “spring”, butterflies can feed only on liquid food: flower nectar, tree sap, sugary secretions of aphids.

Hawkmoth (Sphingidae)

The length of the proboscis depends on the flowers of which plants the butterflies visit. The longest proboscis is found in hawk moths (Sphingidae), large nocturnal butterflies with a thick body and long narrow wings. They are the best flyers among their fellow tribesmen, capable of hovering motionless, like hummingbirds, over flowers and getting nectar without sitting on them.

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Clothes moth

There are species of butterflies in which the oral apparatus is generally underdeveloped, and they do not feed as adults. During their short life, such species use the reserves of nutrients accumulated by the caterpillar. Such, for example, is the well-known clothes moth, which lives in almost every home. It is the moth larva that damages woolen products, but the butterfly does not feed. By the way, only a few animals, including the moth caterpillar, are able to digest and assimilate wool as food.

Toothed moth

Another group of small butterflies, which is called toothed moths, has a gnawing mouthpart, inherited from their ancestors, and feeds not on liquid, but on solid food - plant pollen. The sensory organs of butterflies are no less unique. For example, only diurnal butterflies, distinguished by their bright colors, are able to distinguish the red color, which is inaccessible to other insects.

Conversion process

Depending on the climate zone, as well as the type of insect, the process of degeneration can take from 2 days to 14 years. In our regions this process takes up to 2 weeks.

The transformation process itself is called metamorphosis, or more precisely, holometamorphosis, since the larva does not transform completely and some parts remain from it, mainly the paws. This term characterizes the complete transformation (degeneration) of forms, just as a glass or other forms are obtained from a melted bottle, which are radically different from the shape of the bottle.

Although the cocoon always remains motionless in appearance, quite complex and unique processes take place inside it. The caterpillar's body acquires a liquid consistency with imaginal discs, which essentially represent stem cells. These cells are unique in that they subsequently form various tissues and organs of the moth.

When the process is completed and the butterfly is already in the cocoon, it secretes a special substance that allows it to get rid of the cocoon. The head emerges from the cocoon first, then the body, and finally the legs. After birth, the butterfly sits motionless for some time and waits for its wings to dry. After which she goes on a journey to find herself a representative of the opposite sex. After mating, the butterfly will lay eggs, from which larvae will appear, etc.

Amazing transformation

Watch this video on YouTube

Metamorphosis of Lepidoptera: egg, caterpillar, larva, butterfly

Like any insect with holometamorphosis, lepidoptera experience several stages of the life cycle, up to complete transformation.

Egg

Butterfly eggs can be round, egg-shaped, angular, or cylindrical. Their surface is hard, sometimes textured. Stripes, dots or bumps are arranged symmetrically, creating a kind of pattern. Most lepidopteran species have white or greenish eggs, but brown, blue, red and even bright yellow specimens are also found. One clutch can contain up to 1 thousand eggs, but less than a quarter of all insects will reach the larval, and even more so the adult, stage. As protection, the female may cover the eggs with hairs or secretions of the reproductive glands, thereby creating a shield. The egg stage lasts on average from 8 to 15 days. Eggs laid in the fall go into a state of diapause until the following spring.

Butterfly eggs on the inside of a plant leaf

Caterpillar/larva

A worm-like insect with a gnawing mouthpart. The caterpillar's body consists of three thoracic and ten abdominal segments. The pectoral ones carry three pairs of jointed legs, and the abdominal ones have five pairs of thicker limbs with hooks on the “soles” that help the caterpillar move. The skin is smooth, variably covered with bristles, hairs, spines or warts. According to the principle of nutrition, caterpillars can be divided into several types:

Phytophagous - feed on leaves, fruits and flowers of plants.
Ketophages - are saturated with wax, wool or keratin from the horns of artiodactyls.
Xylophages - eat exclusively wood.
Predators – eat aphids, ant larvae and pupae.
Oligophages - eat only a certain type of plant and nothing else.

Most caterpillars lead a terrestrial lifestyle. However, caterpillars of the broad-winged moth family live under water, right up to the pupation stage.

Caterpillars can live openly or hidden, which is also taken into account when classifying:

Feeding on food plants (open lifestyle) - the color is either protective and emits the plant on which the insect lives, or demonstrative - indicating inedibility. Some caterpillars adopt a threatening pose when they feel the greatest danger.
Hidden lifestyle. Such caterpillars either live in portable bagworms or build themselves a shelter from leaves, rolling a tube like a cigar. This group also includes caterpillars that live inside plants: miner moths, codling moths, etc.

As the caterpillar grows, it experiences an average of 4 to 5 molts, but there are also species that molt 40 times because they grow too quickly. After the last moult, the caterpillar turns into a pupa. Caterpillars of Lepidoptera living in mid-latitudes often do not have time to complete the full life cycle in one season and therefore enter diapause until the following summer.

Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar

Doll

At this stage, the insect is externally motionless, although complex changes occur inside, associated with the restructuring of all organs and systems. The shape of the pupa varies from elongated cylindrical to ovoid and angular. The coloring is predominantly monochromatic - with a pattern of dots, spots and stripes. Immediately after pupation, the color is light green, but then it changes depending on the species, and the pupa may become, for example, brown. Due to their camouflage, some pupae are difficult to distinguish from a twig, dried leaf or plant cutting.

For preservation purposes, the pupa is located inside curled leaves or under the top layer of soil at the roots of the food plant. Less often, but still it can be detected with the naked eye on a branch or other horizontal plane. It is also quite rare to see a pupa lying freely on plant litter or a rare cobweb. Most lepidopteran species prefer to attach to the substrate. Based on the method of attachment, two types of pupae are distinguished:

Hanging - attached to a horizontal surface upside down using a cremaster.
Belted - fastened with the head up. In addition to the cremaster, it is held in place by a special web-like belt.

Hatching of a butterfly from a pupa

Butterfly

About a day before the adult hatches, the pupa becomes transparent and oily. This is a sure sign that all the transformation processes have come to an end - the butterfly is ready to be born.

The pupa is torn from the head to the front edge of the wings so that the imago, pushing off the edges of the old shell with its feet, can get out on its own. In the first minutes after emergence, the butterfly cannot yet fly - its wings need time to straighten, harden and take on their final color. For this purpose, the insect climbs higher and allows the wind and gravity to do their job.

It happens that at the beginning of summer only male butterflies can be observed, and at the end - only females. This happens because the male lepidoptera matures faster and is in a hurry to break out of their cramped pupa.

An imago is a sexually mature form of a lepidopteran, from the first hours capable of performing the main function of this stage of the life cycle: to reproduce.

Why are there a lot of cabbage butterflies in the garden?

Beginner gardeners are often confused about what cabbage butterflies eat, considering them pests of tomatoes, berry and fruit trees. Our heroes are attracted exclusively to cabbage beds and plants from the cruciferous family. They often fly not in flocks, but alone, sometimes covering over 30 km per hour. The first eggs are laid on weeds, but the remaining generations are precisely attached to cultivated plants.

They are attracted to fields with plantations of cruciferous vegetables by special substances with a bitter taste - sinigrin and sinalbin. These compounds are also present in some herbs - mignonette, nasturtium, plants of the caper family. The butterfly senses the smell of these chemical compounds in a fraction of a gram, instantly determining on which leaf to lay an egg. The more often you plant monocultures in one garden without using crop rotation, the greater the likelihood that the area will be heavily infested with this pest.

Types of caterpillars

In nature, there are many types of caterpillars that differ in size, color and other features. However, only a few of them have become more widely known.

Among them:

Cabbage caterpillar. The insect's habitat is Eastern Europe, from North Africa to the Japanese islands. Subsequently it came to South America, where it was introduced. This green caterpillar is the larva of the cabbage butterfly. The length of its body is about 3.5 cm. The insect has 8 pairs of limbs. On the surface of the body there are black warts and short hairs of the same color.
Moth caterpillar. The insect has an elongated body. Its peculiarity is its underdeveloped abdominal limbs, so it moves in a loop-like manner, bending the body in an arc. This makes it possible to move the back of the body forward. The color of the moth larva can be green or brown, depending on the variety.
Large harpy larva. It lives in Europe, Central Asia, and northern Africa. The length of adult individuals reaches 6 cm. The color of insects is green with a purple diamond on the back, which has a light outline.
Redtail caterpillar. Distributed in the forest-steppe of Eurasia, as well as Asia. It grows up to 5 cm in length. It can have a pink, brown or gray color. The body of the insect is densely covered with hairs, and at the end of the body there is a tail from which crimson bristles protrude. This species belongs to the category of poisonous. When it comes into contact with human skin, irritation occurs.
Silkworm larva. The caterpillar is found in East Asia, Russia, and China. The length of the caterpillar reaches 6-7 cm. The body of the larva is warty and shaggy. Initially, the villi are blue and brown, but after the fourth molt they become yellow. The silkworm larva feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves.
Corrosive woodworm caterpillar. This species is found in almost all European countries. During wintering, the color changes from yellow-pink to orange. There are black glossy warts on the body. The length of the insect reaches 5-6 cm. Its usual habitat is inside branches and tree trunks. The larvae feed on plant sap.
Swallowtail caterpillar. This species is considered one of the most colorful. Found in Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. At the initial stage of larval development, the body is black with scarlet warts. As it develops, it turns green and black transverse lines appear, each with 6-8 red-orange spots. In case of danger, the swallowtail caterpillar secretes a liquid with a specific odor. This species feeds on the leaves of carrots, celery, wormwood, parsley, and alder.

Great Harpy Larva

Where do caterpillars come from: the life cycle of butterflies

An adult butterfly, after mating, lays many eggs, from which caterpillars emerge. Under comfortable conditions, this takes up to 2 weeks, depending on the type.

When born, the larvae reach a size of up to 1 mm. Despite their small size, they have a fairly large appetite, so they eat a lot, and because of this they quickly increase in size. At the caterpillar stage, the larvae molt up to 4 times, although there are species that molt up to 16 times. In this case, much depends on the living conditions and type of insects. In our regions, females lay eggs up to 2 times, and it takes up to one and a half months to become a pupa.

Wherever caterpillars are found. They feed on the green mass or juices of these plants. At the moth stage, the insect may not eat anything or feed on the nectar of flowers, juices of berries and fruits. So an insect can live, depending on the species, for several days or months.

Interesting Facts! In colder regions, the larva does not have time to transform into a moth during the warm season, so it overwinters in this state, and with the onset of warm weather it continues its transformation again. Some species inhabiting northern latitudes are able to withstand cold temperatures below -70 degrees. In Holland and Canada, some species of caterpillars take several years to become butterflies.

Before the larva turns into a moth, it independently forms a cocoon from the threads it produces. At the same time, it can attach its paws to any hard surface. After this, one of the most unique phenomena occurs - the transformation of a caterpillar into a moth.

The benefits and harms of butterflies

The benefit or harm that butterflies bring largely depends on what stage of development the insects are at. Thus, the vast majority of caterpillars are pests that destroy both agricultural and wild plants. But adult butterflies participate in the pollination of many plants.

For reference! Many scientists are of the opinion that the role of butterflies in the pollination process is greatly exaggerated. When they drink nectar, they prefer not to get their paws dirty with pollen, which means they don’t transfer it to other plants.

Larvae and adult butterflies are food for birds and insectivorous animals. Some varieties of caterpillars feed on insect pests. Speaking about the benefits of butterflies, one cannot fail to mention the silkworm, which is used in the production of natural silk.

Well, of course, one cannot downplay the aesthetic significance of butterflies in human life. They help to understand and enjoy the beauty of nature.

What do caterpillars eat?

Caterpillars of most butterfly species feed on green parts of plants - leaves, flowers, unripe fruits. Some develop inside branches and trunks, feed on wood, on lichens and dead parts of plants, on animal remains such as wool, down, feathers, and also on wax.

Some species are predatory, feeding on ant larvae and scale insects.