Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post Search
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

19 Before And After Photos Of Butterfly And Moth Transformations
99K

19 Before And After Photos Of Butterfly And Moth Transformations

ADVERTISEMENT

The animal kingdom is full of beautiful and mysterious processes, but few are more captivating and beautiful than the butterfly metamorphosis. A caterpillar turning into a butterfly is indeed a mesmerizing conversion.

Perhaps even more amazing than the drastic transformation is how it happens. Inside their cocoons, the caterpillars are completely liquified, retaining only rudimentary “plates” that are the starting points for essential features like the wings and eyes. Even though they are reduced to a protein soup, studies have indicated that some butterflies can retain behaviors that they were taught as caterpillars. Far out!

The cool thing is that many of these caterpillars are almost as impressive, if not more so than their moth or butterfly counterparts. The regular green caterpillar looks plain, compared to these beauties. Their bright markings and structures often serve as protection, advertising their poisonous nature or giving predators false targets to attack. The hairy caterpillars can sometimes cause an allergic reaction, and that is also one of their survival techniques.

Scroll down to get your dose of majestic moth caterpillars below!

Brahmin Moth

Image credits: Igor Siwanowicz

Image credits: Igor Siwanowicz

Cecropia

Image credits: Lida

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Chip Miller

Spicebush Swallowtail

Image credits: luckybon

Image credits: shill718

Black Swallowtail

Image credits: Jim Gilbert

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Tetsuya Shimizu

Polyura Sempronius

Image credits: teejaybee

Image credits: David Cook

Acraga Coa

Image credits: Our Breathing Planet 

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: greenmama.ru

Acharia Stimulea

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: butterfly blue

Image credits: butterfliesandmoths.org

Phobetron Pithecium

Image credits: Airton Morassi

Image credits: Lou Prosperi 3rd

Glass Winged Butterfly

Image credits: Wendy

Image credits: Alexander Adema

Cerura Vinula

Image credits: Lukas Jonaitis

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Valerio Formichella

Flannel Moth

Image credits: Andreas Kay

Image credits: Patrick Coin

Blue Morpho

Image credits: gerckens.photo

Image credits: Ricardo Jimenes

Isochaetes Beutenmuelleri

Image credits: Igor Siwanowicz

Image credits: Roy Morris

Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth

Image credits: Charles & Clint

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Margarethe Brummermann

Isa Textula

Image credits: Matthew Myers

Image credits: Ray Morris

Pipevine Swallowtail

Image credits: cotinis

Image credits: John Flannery

Spotted Apatelodes

Image credits: Bill Tanneberger

Image credits: kestrel360

Io Moth

Image credits: Jason Penney

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: Roger Wasley

Attacus Atlas

Image credits: John Horstman

Image credits: Andrew Cooper

Share on Facebook
You May Like
Popular on Bored Panda
Leave a comment
Add photo comments
POST
vicky.gillard.9 avatar
kristinabastyt avatar
KristinaBastytė
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do like butterflies in general, really interesting colourful creatures, but honestly, moth species I find sometimes terrifying.

NegativeGrace avatar
TaylorRoberson
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think they're all creepy as hell. If it flies and can land on my person, I don't like it.

Load More Replies...
Steflism avatar
StefyLee
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of them with beautiful colours as caterpillars, turned out to be more dull moths, than those looking more pale in caterpillar years.

Load More Comments
vicky.gillard.9 avatar
kristinabastyt avatar
KristinaBastytė
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do like butterflies in general, really interesting colourful creatures, but honestly, moth species I find sometimes terrifying.

NegativeGrace avatar
TaylorRoberson
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think they're all creepy as hell. If it flies and can land on my person, I don't like it.

Load More Replies...
Steflism avatar
StefyLee
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of them with beautiful colours as caterpillars, turned out to be more dull moths, than those looking more pale in caterpillar years.

Load More Comments
Popular on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda