Uploaded May 2013 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago
This video is an animation of the development of two of its organ systems — for breathing and eating. In blue is the insect’s respiratory system. Caterpillars and adult butterflies both breathe through tiny pores called spiracles. From each spiracle, the blue tubes, called trachea, carry oxygen into the chrysalis. In green is the insect’s air lumen, which functions like lungs in concert with the tracheae.
The midgut, the equivalent of an insect’s stomach, is seen in red. Caterpillars need a big midgut to digest the large amounts of plant material they consume, while butterflies, which eat only nectar and other liquids, require a much smaller midgut. In the video you can see the midgut shrink quickly from its caterpillar size and, by day 7, has reached the final, smaller shape present in the adult butterfly.
Finally, appearing late in development in orange at the hind end of the pupa is its Malphigian tubules — aka, its excretory system.
Read the full story at: discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/see-inside-a-chrysalis-as-it-develops-into-a-butterfly-video
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Video courtesy Tristan Lowe and Louise Lever
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This video is an animation of the development of two of its organ systems — for breathing and eating. In blue is the insect’s respiratory system. Caterpillars and adult butterflies both breathe through tiny pores called spiracles. From each spiracle, the blue tubes, called trachea, carry oxygen into the chrysalis. In green is the insect’s air lumen, which functions like lungs in concert with the tracheae.
The midgut, the equivalent of an insect’s stomach, is seen in red. Caterpillars need a big midgut to digest the large amounts of plant material they consume, while butterflies, which eat only nectar and other liquids, require a much smaller midgut. In the video you can see the midgut shrink quickly from its caterpillar size and, by day 7, has reached the final, smaller shape present in the adult butterfly.
Finally, appearing late in development in orange at the hind end of the pupa is its Malphigian tubules — aka, its excretory system.
Read the full story at: discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/see-inside-a-chrysalis-as-it-develops-into-a-butterfly-video
—
Video courtesy Tristan Lowe and Louise Lever
—
ABOUT DISCOVER:
Discover is your source for science that matters, makes sense and is a lot of fun, too.
Visit us at: discovermagazine.com
FOLLOW US:
Facebook: facebook.com/DiscoverMag
Twitter: twitter.com/DiscoverMag
Instagram: instagram.com/discover.magazine
SUPPORT US:
Subscribe to Discover: bit.ly/34seAFT
Sign up for our newsletter: discovermagazine.com/newsletter-signup
My Science Shop: myscienceshop.com
STAY CURIOUS!
