Quick Take
- What's hidden beneath a caterpillar's shed skin surprises almost everyone who sees it for the first time. See what's inside →
- A butterfly has one critical task to complete the moment it breaks free, and failing it makes flight impossible. Follow the emergence →
- A caterpillar strikes a very specific pose that signals metamorphosis is about to begin, and this is something you can learn to spot yourself. Spot the J-shape pose →
- You don't need to travel anywhere exotic to watch this transformation happen live. The setup is simpler than you'd expect. Set up your habitat →
One of nature’s most incredible transformations is a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. This metamorphosis occurs over time, but if you’re watching carefully, you can catch glimpses of the change. Alternatively, you can watch a magical timelapse video that shows a monarch caterpillar turning into a butterfly.
In a video taken by @sam.lw_ and shared on YouTube by @TheDodo, you can see several plump caterpillars hanging from a wooden box. The camera was set up to record a timelapse, showing their metamorphosis. In a stunning fast-forward, a caterpillar sheds its outer layer of skin to reveal a bright green chrysalis. This stage is known as the pupa and lasts approximately 8-15 days. During this time, the colors of the butterfly’s wings begin to show through the chrysalis, which is fascinating to watch in the video.
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Monarch butterfly caterpillars hang upside down to start the metamorphosis process.
©iStock.com/CathyKeifer
Eventually, the adult butterfly breaks free from the now-clear outer layer and clings to the outside long enough to pump fluid into its wings. You can watch as the wings take shape and grow larger in the timelapse, until the butterfly is ready to spread its wings and fly. It’s truly miraculous to see!
The Cycle Begins Again
Female monarch butterflies will continue the circle of life by laying eggs on milkweed plants. They typically lay between 100 and 500 eggs over a period of two to five weeks, though the average in the wild is often closer to 100-300 eggs per female. The eggs hatch after four days, at which point they are known as larvae (or caterpillars).
For 9-14 days, caterpillars eat milkweed and molt their skin several times. After the fifth molt, they find a place to spin a silk pad and hook their prolegs into the silk, hanging upside down in a “J” shape. This is when the metamorphosis process begins.
Adult monarch butterflies start the life cycle over again after emerging from their chrysalis.
©David Trevarthen/Shutterstock.com
Watch Your Own Caterpillar Metamorphosis
If you want to see caterpillars transform into butterflies in your own backyard, consider buying a wooden habitat like the one in the video. At the time of writing, this one on Amazon was listed for around $41 and is made with mesh sides to protect the butterflies’ delicate wings.
Check on your caterpillars often to watch them turn into butterflies — and consider setting up a camera to create your own timelapse video!
