Stretchy Skin - _TNY_4949
Insects have a hard exoskeleton which can't grow so they have to moult into a larger suit when growing.
Butterflies don't moult as they already are the adult form, but as caterpillars, they have a soft and pretty stretchy skin.
They still have to moult once or twice as they grow so much from being egg-sized, sot the two common yellow swallowtail caterpillars (Papilio machaon) here are what I believe to be the 3rd and 5th instar.
The leaf they are on belongs to a purple angelica (Angelica gigas) and is supposed to be *much* larger - this is what remains after the catrpillars have muched away at it.
Stretchy Skin - _TNY_4949
Insects have a hard exoskeleton which can't grow so they have to moult into a larger suit when growing.
Butterflies don't moult as they already are the adult form, but as caterpillars, they have a soft and pretty stretchy skin.
They still have to moult once or twice as they grow so much from being egg-sized, sot the two common yellow swallowtail caterpillars (Papilio machaon) here are what I believe to be the 3rd and 5th instar.
The leaf they are on belongs to a purple angelica (Angelica gigas) and is supposed to be *much* larger - this is what remains after the catrpillars have muched away at it.