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While visiting the nature center, we spied a caterpillar munching on oak tree leaves. We were fascinated by this discovery so we decided to do a report on this amazing caterpillar.
A moth goes through 4 stages of development. As soon as a caterpillar hatches from the egg, it uses all of its energy to feed and grow. Its body gets bigger and bigger growing so fast that it has to shed its skin several times.
Step 1: The moths lay its eggs on the bark of a tree.
Step 2: The caterpillar hatches out and starts to feed.
Step 3: The adult caterpillar becomes a pupa. It stays inside its pupa case while it's body changes.
Step 4: Finally the adult moth comes out of the pupa case and now you have a polyhemus moth.
There are 200,000 kinds of moths. Many kinds of moths have brownish front wings to help keep them hidden when resting during the day. One of the moth's adaptations is if in danger, it may reveal the brighter colored back wings to startle the enemy.
One of the biggest groups of insects is made up of moths and butterflies. Moths start life as caterpillars feeding on leaves or other parts of plants. The adults have long tubular mouth parts and feed on sugary liquids, such as the nectar from flowers the adults wings and body are covered with microscopic scales which are often brilliantly colored.
The importance of moths are
listed below.
Moths benefit us by producing silk. Moths also pollinate night-blooming
flowers. Most moths only live a few days to a few weeks.
Moths also have some negative affects.
They eat so many leaves they can damage trees and plants.
This was the amazing tale of
the moths. Now you know how a caterpillar becomes a moth.
By: Justin and Kameron