Pupae VS Chrysalis

[JJCardinal]

Hi Robert:

Pupa is singular; pupae means plural.  Pupa is a "stage" in the metamorphosis
of both moths and butterflies.  

Moth's pupa can be surrounded in a cocoon, or not; butterfly caterpillars shed
their skin and turn into a chrysalis.  These words describe another "stage" of
the development before emergence as an adult.

I do not know of any butterfly that spins a cocoon, but some do wrap a leaf
around themselves.  I am not an expert on this, and I am sure someone will
enlighten me if there are butterflies out there that do surrounds themselves in
something other that a leaf?  Anyone, oh esteemed lepidopterists and
entomologists?

Louise Dawson
www.jjcardinal.com  




> Instinctively I have always referred to pupae as being distinct to a part
>of the moth cycle and chrysalis distinct to a  part of the butterfly cycle.
>I still find many knowledgeable lepidopterists interchanging the term pupae
>or chrysalis to describe this part of the cycle for both butterflies and
>moths. Am I right ? Or is anybody right? I can find no technical insight as
>to why one would or should refer to pupae as being associated to moths only
>and chrysalis been associated to butterflies only. I wonder does it really
>matter; or does it?
>
>                        Robert Vandermoor
>                        Coquitlam, B.C. Canada.
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