Watch this mesmerizing video of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly

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You’ve probably seen caterpillars in your garden and enjoyed watching butterflies flitting around your yard. But have you ever seen the process of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, from beginning to end?

Take a look at this video that captures the amazing metamorphosis of a caterpillar as it goes through its life cycle.

This video shows the four stages of the life cycle of a butterfly:

  1. Egg
  2. Caterpillar
  3. Pupa
  4. Butterfly

Once the baby caterpillar (also called larvae) hatches from his egg, he eats the egg. Then, he keeps on eating and eating leaves until he has grown to 100 times the size he was when he hatched.

The third stage is the most fascinating — and perhaps the most disgusting. The caterpillar wiggles and pushes his body until he splits his skin open. This is how the pupa is formed. The outer skin hardens and appears dormant for weeks or even months, but there is a lot going on inside.

The caterpillar literally digests his old self and develops into his beautiful final form: the butterfly.

There are several plants you can add to your garden that will attract butterflies, so you can witness the fascinating stages of their transformation in real life and enjoy their graceful beauty. And the next time your kids ask you how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, you can show them this mind-blowing video!

Animals, Curiosity, Science & Nature, Wild Animals

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About the Author
Kristina Wright
Kristina Wright lives in Virginia with her husband, their two sons and several pets. Her work has appeared in a variety of places, including Mom.me, BookBub, Washington Post, USA Today, Narratively, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, and more. She loves reading thrillers, going to movies, baking bread and planning family trips where everyone has fun and no one complains. Oh, and she really, really loves coffee. You can find her at the nearest coffee shop or on Twitter @kristinawright.

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