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Timelapse video: watch a monarch caterpillar transform [1]

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Date: 2025-03-30  

Watch a Monarch caterpillar go through metamorphosis and become a gorgeous butterfly. In this awe-inspiring timelapse, we see what usually takes place over 7-10 days in just under a minute. It's so satisfying to watch the butterfly pop out at the end, leaving behind a clear cocoon.

As a kid, I loved going to see caterpillars and butterflies at the indoor garden in my town and watch them at various stages of their metamorphosis. It's amazing to be able to see the whole process happen in one short video. I love how clear and detailed it is.

Here's an interesting fact about Monarch Butterflies: To survive out in the wild, Monarch caterpillars feed on milkweed plants. This actually makes them distasteful and toxic to predators, and helps protect them from being eaten. The milkweed plants that Monarch Caterpillars consume are filled with toxins called cardenolides or cardiac glycosides.

See also: Monarch butterflies headed for extinction

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