Journey North: Monarch Butterfly
What is happening inside the chrysalid actually begins inside the caterpillar when it’s full grown. There are hormonal changes taking place inside the 5th instar caterpillar. It loses all interest in feeding, starts wandering around and then spins a little silk pad. The silk pad is spun on the underside of a leaf, or the underside of a plant, and then the caterpillar turns around and grabs that silk pad with its hind legs which have little hooks on them. Once those hooks are in that little silk pad the caterpillar drops down and it’s beginning to change its form now. In fact, that’s exactly what the word “metamorphosis” means: “changing” its “form.” (Click here to read more)