What’s Inside A Caterpillar 'Cocoon?'

Contrary to popular belief, a chrysalis is not a pouch or a sac —It’s actually the caterpillar’s own body! During metamorphosis, the former caterpillar releases digestive juices that dissolve cells in its muscles, gut, and other organs. Then, special groups of cells called imaginal discs divide over and over again, forming wings and other adult structures.

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What’s Inside A Caterpillar 'Cocoon?'

[Horizon_Flyer]

I had rescued a Caterpillar one day in High School, the school was given new trees to decorate the front entrance. Well in those trees where hundreds of Caterpillars that started to crawl down the tree to turn into Chrysalis. I saw a few being squished by some students so I grabbed one and took it home. I took a small twig with leaves to feed it in case and placed it into a small glass fishbowl and watched them. I later added a long stick for it to climb on. I left for the day and came home to see him upside down. I was excited and witnessed the Chrysalis being shed. While it was a Chrysalis I talked to them and played music mainly a kazoo song. A few weeks pass and I come home to see my Chrysalis bud had emerged and was still hanging upside down. I quickly and carefully moved the container outside to release them. After and hour I saw them testing their wings still upside down. I placed my finger next to them and they climbed on. Soon they perched on top of my finger and after a few test flaps they took off. Nothing like seeing a butterfly experience flight for the first time. I thought they'd leave me and live it's life free but 2 days later I come home and in the backyard I see my Butterfly flying around and after putting my bag down and walking to them, they landed on my shirt saying hello to me. I'd hum the song from the video and they'd land on me almost everyday. After 10 months I knew they'd died but I still see his species around and ever since a few seem to know me and either land on me or fly next to me as I walk.
The species for those who want to know is the Mourning Cloak Butterfly which have a lifespan of 11 to 12 months the longest lifespan of a butterfly.
Edit: Thank you everyone for all the kind words you've all said. I'd thought this comment would be swept away in the wave of comments but here I see it with over 500 likes! Anyway I acted out in a show of a maternal instinct for the little guy struggling to run from creatures many times larger than them. I guess that my act resonated and impacted the life of a lovely insect who was a major part of my life after school. Once I was trying to sun bath as my skin is rather fair. While I was laying there on a lawnchair my butterfly friend landed and rested on my leg enjoying the moment.

[ekathe]

I was wondering if a caterpillar technically "dies" when dissolving its body in order to become a butterfly. But if they can actually remember things they've experienced as caterpillars then at least some part of their nervous system probably remains. It's fascinating.

[Tsukiko.]

What’s inside a caterpillar cocoon?

Hank Green: *A MOTH*

[spectralaves]

God, their transformation is absurdly fascinating. Never ceases to amaze me that a little sausage creature can reshape its own guts into something that looks completely different, not to mention capable of flight.

[watercat]

Butterly: “They just don’t make insects like they use to. Back in my days when I was just a caterpillar, I had to dissolve myself to grow...”

[fatpigeon]

What's inside a caterpillar cocoon?



*A Caterpillar*

[Bigfoot_With_Internet_Access]

A caterpillar who's gonna grow up and be a beautiful butterfly

[diooverheaven]

Damn...I knew puberty was one hell of a change, but this is ridiculous!

[ruben]

Wow, the animations in this video are really nice and engaging! The script is very informative, and the topic is fascinating, but everyone who helped put together the visuals really did a stellar job! 🦋

[jeanpierre]

So caterpillar's literally die to born like butterflies?

[annam]

People: Butterflies are so beautiful
Caterpillar: WHAT AM I A ROACH???!!!

[jimothyasteward]

They remember the pain they endured to become what they are.

[CavemanBearPig]

I imagine the first caterpillar to become a butterfly was like, “YOOO!” When it realized it had wings now.

[kelkelb]

If they made all videos like this for learning I think a lot more people would pay attention. I loved this. Very interesting!! I had a butterfly come lay eggs on my first milkweed plant and now I have11 chrysalis hanging and transforming as I write this. The first caterpillar went a day early. Then 9 all went at the same time and then you had this huge giant one that was just still hungry. He literally ate his little heart out. He said. This milkweed is mine. He finally went up and did his thing like a day later. I’m so excited to let 11 little monarch butterflies into the world.

[brandonproductions]

Why is this the only video I’ve found on this?

[norwayspotter]

Wonder if it like hurts i mean it gets disolved

[amac]

Imagine future humans regenerating and prolonging life and adapting to different environments like caterpillars into butterflies...

[catherinespark]

I'd be interested to know if their 'memories' of caterpillar-life are more like established schemas, or more like true memory-based training associations. A dog will cycle through a variety of learned training behaviours with the specific intent to please its owner and get cuddles and treats. This is different from Pavlov's dogs salivating when they hear a bell being rung, or a person having a lingering phobia of clowns because of someone peering into their cot while wearing a clown mask, when they were nine months old, even though all three are associations of a sort. If a goldfish can learn to drive a vehicle to accomplish a specific objective in the name of getting a treat (this has been done!), surely a caterpillar/butterfly can be studied using a similar principle to find out the answer to this! I mean, a caterpillar and a butterfly can both crawl. I'd imagine such a conserved memory function might be useful for distinguishing and avoiding certain high-risk predator or poison situations.

[Enneamorph]

A video that’s just all content

It also got the “chrysalis =/= cocoon” thing squared away immediately

It taught me something new, too

Have a like.

[Ashdown-ubgy]

"What would you do with power to fly, ..?"
.
Me : *EXCITED*
.
"How about shredding your skin, and disolving your muscles ? "
.
. Me : *losess all hopes*