It came to my attention of recent that there’s a difference between a cocoon and a chrysalis. I was using these terms interchangeably, particularly in this blog post, The Essential Cocoon. So I want to take this week to amend my earlier blog post (which I still think is a very relevant and pertinent idea even if scientifically sort of inaccurate).
When I did some looking, I found out that a cocoon is what a moth caterpillar weaves out of silk (and surrounding materials, often plant matter depending on what type of moth we’re talking about) to protect it through the transformation process.
A chrysalis is what I was really talking about in that blog post, which is part of the pupa stage of the butterfly. The Florida Museum website states that, “Inside the pupa, the caterpillar’s body breaks down into a kind of soup and is reorganised into the adult structures of the butterfly.” I don’t know about you but in the process of transformation, a metaphorical break down and melting into soup sounds about right.
Whereas the cocoon is made of silk (and other materials) of the moth caterpillar, the chrysalis is a hard exterior shell that is part of the butterfly pupa. At least that’s what I understood from reading – please correct me if I’m wrong (again – I have to ask myself at this point, did I even watch the DK Eyewitness documentary episode, “Butterfly”?).
From start to finish the process of change is referred to as “metamorphosis”, which means “change of form” and that’s exactly what I was talking about. We’re changing form from one phase of being to another and evolving.
So when you read the cocoon post just be aware that what I really mean when I say cocoon is a chrysalis. Because we’re talking about butterflies. Caterpillars becoming butterflies. But I guess the same could apply to caterpillars becoming moths…
At the time of writing that post, we were in caterpillar season, with many furry butterfly caterpillars (or tortie-pillars if you recall) wriggling along, munching everything in sight and growing enormous. Then disappearing to transform…
Now we’re seeing the orange, white and black winged butterflies visiting our garden enjoying the flowers that we have blooming like the echinaceas, alyssum, our roses, and the tiny purple clustered flowers of the buddleia.
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What are your thoughts about all this? Are you a keen lepidopterist? Let me know in the comments below!
Love,
