Shortly after arriving for another day at the visitor centre this morning, I began doing the rounds, checking all the creatures were alright. I was so excited when I noticed this Peacock Butterfly caterpillar beginning its transformation into a chrysalis, having missed the other 5 or so. For the next 8 minutes (9.38 am -9.46 am) I keenly watched the fat caterpillar get shorter and shorter, squashing itself into its shiny green tent. I have captured the action in this sequence of photos as best I could amongst a maze of fellow chrysalises! The final stage was for the hard worked caterpillar to decapitate itself (almost). You will see this in a video to follow.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48qOku_yTUJ02fDDXg6rnVBzHZfpi1-08yK9K5JfHpAbfqDWV3EwDw6ygix7My9UtWovF8tx5MfKYbLvYPla7J3mfHd4K_d9RwjLyqgmSofgc5ez336VaspZ3EuWwXJYCKFWfB3ZnyFA/s320/4+june+2012+001.jpg) |
9.38am |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkRuZKfFCvmi-KRXvfeUYPD4XKoxj8juXpWDc-2aBpl1duNOq45VLBA8Fq6f1ks8sBA-mv-h6xJcyEAMHPJEG1MRd9Gt4IAbzDAL-6ZF2yXMumZf6_Wu3CmhGTtVGwtv6BxR7pdASRF8/s320/4+june+2012+002.jpg) |
9.38am |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHiqjcArd13jP0-2INxAKSyQYnv1MBxyMOGqtU-gG9xmlFzZFb3YW7Zdg4ASd69t213Qq8q77tD-XhYzDtfiPj55J4IKA1STDYhZN80VFpv9JBIo1PJprpMdZ2KF4wICvS2sBceqxUG4/s320/4+june+2012+005.jpg) |
9.41am |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4yF2hUVXWw7Nmcic4yaEqsElBAJREKvAYDKfV0gvVat4UYv_mn3_Hf4uKgyzEjWw6cYMAjRqu1-weMN1mJidooLka-3TH7ZDWxYYQiOUC0JQ25EUOUGg4a5WmL96JAxXtcuvy4mvlp0/s320/4+june+2012+010.jpg) |
9.44am: It looked like a real struggle! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxMvVYA_0ggDrRVBwojAXQo833jzvk36OaREo-dL7LY8tJ9BraNSMNaEgonsjb2WWwCSklZAOM8BXMYHVqWr1IG6VfIyHWuzzkj6n4iRZsMDuaENQOomMwat3aMLVBBGG133s5-Z6FqM/s320/4+june+2012+019.jpg) |
9.46am: Once the major transformation was complete, there was much writhing, squirming and twitching. The chrysalis gradually darkened to brown. |
The 'Big Question' in July's BBC Wildlife Magazine is all about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. In my reading, I have discovered that a caterpillar's juvenile hormone 'slows progress towards adulthood', keeping it a larva while the hormone's levels are high. Gradually the juvenile hormone slows down and falls below a critical level, triggering the final moult into a chrysalis. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar is basically recycled, and adult features finally develop!
Lorna
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