Cocoon versus chrysalis

URL:

http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/enotes/all/caterpillar-identification/

By: Garden Gate staff

Find out the easiest way to tell the difference between a soon-to-be moth or butterfly.

Cocoon versus chrysalis

Ever wondered if the caterpillar you spotted will turn into a butterfly or become a moth? For the average person, it’s impossible to know. But if you wait until it begins making its protective covering, the difference is easy to spot. Just look at the images on the left.

A moth spins a cocoon — a shell that’s attached to a surface by a fuzzy cottony material.

Butterflies, on the other hand, form a chrysalis with a smooth, hard exterior that hangs from a stem or twig.

Published: July 24, 2012

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