Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A chrysalis needs to be perfect when a caterpillar or silkworm ...

Caterpillars and butterflies have been a part of classrooms since the very beginning of a child’s schooling. At an early age, almost every kid knows that a caterpillar will eat leaves, cocoon itself, ...

I talked about your question with my friend Allan Felsot. He’s an insect scientist at Washington State University. He told me cocoons are mostly silk. But they’re usually made by moths. A butterfly ...

One of the most pervasive myths about butterfly metamorphosis is the belief that caterpillars weave a cocoon around themselves, inside of which they magically transform into butterflies. In reality, ...

What goes on in a cocoon as a caterpillar changes into a butterfly remains one of nature's best kept secrets. But a new study reveals one part of the process: The insects burn a tremendous amount of ...