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The Kid Should See This

What happens to a caterpillar inside its chrysalis?

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From egg, to larva, to pupa, to an adult, watch as a Heliconius caterpillar (a larva) transforms into a butterfly. This clip from Micro Monsters with David Attenborough: Courtship includes a digital look at what goes on inside the chrysalis.

Note: The chrysalis and the cocoon have similar functions, but are not the same. A butterfly forms within a chrysalis, a hardened shell of a pupa. Moths protect themselves within silky woven cocoons during their transformation.

Next: Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis in HD and The Magnificent Monarchs: Visit a butterfly sanctuary in Mexico.

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