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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!
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What do you think ?
KristinaBastytė 11 years ago
I do like butterflies in general, really interesting colourful creatures, but honestly, moth species I find sometimes terrifying.
TaylorRoberson 11 years ago
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...
MaureenO'Connell 11 years ago
I love the blue morpho, as a butterfly enthusiast, these are fantastic
SetiGershberg 11 years ago
Many were moths, beautiful indeed, but the title is not accurate...
nadiamarieharding 11 years ago
Incredible beauty, thank you the photographers for their dedication to capture this incredible life change for all of us.
JoãoPedroArzivenkoGesing 11 years ago
Praise natural selection and sexual selection to make those creatures...
PamalaSmith 11 years ago
As a lepidopterist, I can tell you that you have the wrong butterfly picture posted for the Black Swallowtail.
JesúsSoto 11 years ago
As a human being, I can tell you that your attempt to add legitimacy to your claim by stating you are a lepidopterist is silly/unnecessary.
Load More Replies...
Marsha Hoak 8 years ago
Do moths (cut worm moths) chrysalises look dried up and shaggy before the moth emerges - or has the caterpillar died?
Marian Grantham 9 years ago
Thankyou all contributors. What a delicious sensory experience. :-)
RobynMcMaster 11 years ago
You have accidentally switched the images for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly and Black Swallowtail butterfly.
Nick Trubov 11 years ago
Really great photos and only the spicebush and black swallowtails were transposed!
Barbara Delahunty 11 years ago
Some of these are hardly recognisable as caterpillars... if I came across some of these I think I'd wonder what it was!
ToniPalmer 11 years ago
WOW these do look like space creatures....amazingly beautiful. God must of had fun designing these guys!
Annari Du Plessis 11 years ago
The atlas caterpillar has great protection against parasitic wasps. Those protrusions make it look like the caterpillar is already parasited
Cody-JoHewitt 11 years ago
I love the pic of the last moth, totally unexpected and so beautiful. My brother however, who is terrified of moths, would freak out!
DidierVuagnat 11 years ago
We're still in " The Middle Âge" of knowledge of The miracle of Life but work hard and discover Allready so much
XavierBouvet 11 years ago
This ranking is really beautiful, thank you! I have never seen such beautiful tracks!
KathleenKing 11 years ago
Totally awesome! Amazing how different they look as moth/butterflies than when they are caterpillars.
RickyGripon 11 years ago
Attacus Atlas transformation its called in Philippines ( MARIPOSA ) sometimes can grow up to 12 inches diameter or bigger of wings :)
Marissa Jones 11 years ago
This gives a whole new meaning to before and after photos for me... Pretty cool
Marissa Jones 11 years ago
This gives a whole new meaning to the before and after photos for me... Pretty cool
544d820e87a94 11 years ago
O Reino dos insetos uma maravilha incontável no fascínio da desafiadora e venenosa beleza, Parabéns pelo capricho da postagem.Nota 10.!.
Lorraine Phillips 11 years ago
Nature is amazing. I think they are all beautiful but the caterpillars are the prettiest. I love some of those real furry moths..
Naomi Mulligan 11 years ago
I actually found the hairy ones very frightening and I don't usually mind moths or butterflies.
Martha Donaldson 11 years ago
Stunning! I would have liked knowing what part of our world these are found in.
GregStrand 11 years ago
It's amazing the changes in color they go through from caterpillar to butterfly!
HHOlm 11 years ago
Nope it is a black swallowtail but the associated butterfly is wrong.
Load More Replies...
Marcella Hazelwood 11 years ago
Unbelievably breathtaking and a testament to the wonders of nature
Nancy Harabedian 11 years ago
The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar actually has two eyes and a mouth. Cute!
JacquelineCrêtes 11 years ago
j'adore les papillons ,ils sont tres beaux, sauf certaines chenilles
SuzannePowell 11 years ago
Your pic of the blue swallowtail caterpillar looks more like a monarch caterpillar. Are you sure that's the right image?
JamesHathaway 11 years ago
That's actually the Black Swallowtail caterpillar (the butterfly is under "Spicebush Swallowtail"). It is similarly striped.
Load More Replies...
JulieDantespensées 11 years ago
Les plus brlles chenilles font les papillons les plus moches :-(
NicoleGilbert 11 years ago
I love butterflies, I even have framed ones, I have a butterfly guide but havn't found a book that has both catapillars & butterflies, so th
MertyRobinson 11 years ago
When I was a kid my brother told me that the 'dust' moths are covered in was the dessicated remains of corpses. Phobia still with me. Ew!!
ChristineGroda 11 years ago
Amazing reflection of GOD'S LOVE ❤ THIS IS THE SYMBOL OF GLORY OF GOD'S BEAUTY IN CHANGING HEARTS
KristinaBastytė 11 years ago
I do like butterflies in general, really interesting colourful creatures, but honestly, moth species I find sometimes terrifying.
TaylorRoberson 11 years ago
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... MaureenO'Connell 11 years ago
I love the blue morpho, as a butterfly enthusiast, these are fantastic
SetiGershberg 11 years ago
Many were moths, beautiful indeed, but the title is not accurate...
nadiamarieharding 11 years ago
Incredible beauty, thank you the photographers for their dedication to capture this incredible life change for all of us.
JoãoPedroArzivenkoGesing 11 years ago
Praise natural selection and sexual selection to make those creatures...
PamalaSmith 11 years ago
As a lepidopterist, I can tell you that you have the wrong butterfly picture posted for the Black Swallowtail.
JesúsSoto 11 years ago
As a human being, I can tell you that your attempt to add legitimacy to your claim by stating you are a lepidopterist is silly/unnecessary.
Load More Replies... Marsha Hoak 8 years ago
Do moths (cut worm moths) chrysalises look dried up and shaggy before the moth emerges - or has the caterpillar died?
Marian Grantham 9 years ago
Thankyou all contributors. What a delicious sensory experience. :-)
RobynMcMaster 11 years ago
You have accidentally switched the images for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly and Black Swallowtail butterfly.
Nick Trubov 11 years ago
Really great photos and only the spicebush and black swallowtails were transposed!
Barbara Delahunty 11 years ago
Some of these are hardly recognisable as caterpillars... if I came across some of these I think I'd wonder what it was!
ToniPalmer 11 years ago
WOW these do look like space creatures....amazingly beautiful. God must of had fun designing these guys!
Annari Du Plessis 11 years ago
The atlas caterpillar has great protection against parasitic wasps. Those protrusions make it look like the caterpillar is already parasited
Cody-JoHewitt 11 years ago
I love the pic of the last moth, totally unexpected and so beautiful. My brother however, who is terrified of moths, would freak out!
DidierVuagnat 11 years ago
We're still in " The Middle Âge" of knowledge of The miracle of Life but work hard and discover Allready so much
XavierBouvet 11 years ago
This ranking is really beautiful, thank you! I have never seen such beautiful tracks!
KathleenKing 11 years ago
Totally awesome! Amazing how different they look as moth/butterflies than when they are caterpillars.
RickyGripon 11 years ago
Attacus Atlas transformation its called in Philippines ( MARIPOSA ) sometimes can grow up to 12 inches diameter or bigger of wings :)
Marissa Jones 11 years ago
This gives a whole new meaning to before and after photos for me... Pretty cool
Marissa Jones 11 years ago
This gives a whole new meaning to the before and after photos for me... Pretty cool
544d820e87a94 11 years ago
O Reino dos insetos uma maravilha incontável no fascínio da desafiadora e venenosa beleza, Parabéns pelo capricho da postagem.Nota 10.!.
Lorraine Phillips 11 years ago
Nature is amazing. I think they are all beautiful but the caterpillars are the prettiest. I love some of those real furry moths..
Naomi Mulligan 11 years ago
I actually found the hairy ones very frightening and I don't usually mind moths or butterflies.
Martha Donaldson 11 years ago
Stunning! I would have liked knowing what part of our world these are found in.
GregStrand 11 years ago
It's amazing the changes in color they go through from caterpillar to butterfly!
HHOlm 11 years ago
Nope it is a black swallowtail but the associated butterfly is wrong.
Load More Replies... Marcella Hazelwood 11 years ago
Unbelievably breathtaking and a testament to the wonders of nature
Nancy Harabedian 11 years ago
The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar actually has two eyes and a mouth. Cute!
JacquelineCrêtes 11 years ago
j'adore les papillons ,ils sont tres beaux, sauf certaines chenilles
SuzannePowell 11 years ago
Your pic of the blue swallowtail caterpillar looks more like a monarch caterpillar. Are you sure that's the right image?
JamesHathaway 11 years ago
That's actually the Black Swallowtail caterpillar (the butterfly is under "Spicebush Swallowtail"). It is similarly striped.
Load More Replies... JulieDantespensées 11 years ago
Les plus brlles chenilles font les papillons les plus moches :-(
NicoleGilbert 11 years ago
I love butterflies, I even have framed ones, I have a butterfly guide but havn't found a book that has both catapillars & butterflies, so th
MertyRobinson 11 years ago
When I was a kid my brother told me that the 'dust' moths are covered in was the dessicated remains of corpses. Phobia still with me. Ew!!
ChristineGroda 11 years ago
Amazing reflection of GOD'S LOVE ❤ THIS IS THE SYMBOL OF GLORY OF GOD'S BEAUTY IN CHANGING HEARTS
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