Butterfly Farming IS AMAZING - (Full Life Cycle) - Smarter Every Day 96

TL;DR

Butterfly farming works by placing a species-specific host plant in a flight house, collecting the eggs laid on it, and rearing the caterpillars through their instars and pupal stage. Mr. John uses sassafras for the Spicebush Swallowtail, whose caterpillars typically molt between 4 and 5 times; a sleeve can yield about 40–60 pupae. Read on to understand each stage and correct common misconceptions about metamorphosis.

Transcript

Hey it's me Destin, welcome back to Smarter Every Day. I did a video and I put Mr John the butterly farmer in it and you had a bunch of questions about butterfly farming, so we're doing a video about butterfly farming, is that OK with you?

• That's good with me.
• So, I'm gonna tell you what this paper is at the end of the video but this is pretty ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🍆 Butterflies lay eggs on specific host plants, ensuring the survival and development of their offspring.
• 🤙 Caterpillars go through several growth stages, called instars, before transforming into pupae.
• 💪 Silk threads produced by caterpillars are strong and help in the process of pupation.
• 💱 Pupae change color to match their surroundings, providing camouflage and protection.
• 🦋 Emergence of a butterfly from the pupa is a vulnerable and delicate process.
• 🥶 Audible.com has partnered with Smarter Every Day, providing a free trial to support the channel.
• 🦋 Butterfly farming involves rearing caterpillars and pupae for the purpose of conservation and education.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does butterfly farming work in Smarter Every Day 96?

The farmer brings a specific host plant into the flight house so butterflies will lay eggs on it. He removes the potted plant when it has the eggs he wants, raises the resulting caterpillars through their instars and pupal stage, and keeps some butterflies for breeding.

Q: Where do Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs?

Spicebush Swallowtails lay eggs on only a few host plants, including the sassafras tree. The female shown approaches the plant from downwind and lays an egg on the underside of a leaf.

Q: What is an instar in a caterpillar’s development?

An instar is the developmental step between two molts. Most lepidoptera molt between 4 and 5 times, and the small caterpillars shown are probably already in their second instar.

Q: Why does the Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar look like a snake?

Its markings make it appear to have a large head, although its actual head is at the very end. The snake-like appearance discourages birds.

Q: How many true legs does a caterpillar have?

The caterpillar’s first 6 legs are its permanent, true legs. Those legs remain through metamorphosis because it is an insect and has 6 true legs.

Q: Does a caterpillar build a pupa and crawl inside it?

No. The caterpillar stays in place, splits its skin as it would during a molt, and wriggles out of that skin as a pupa; the discarded caterpillar skin then drops below it.

Q: What does the caterpillar’s silk tether do during pupation?

A small silk thread runs across the caterpillar’s back and secures it to the net while it becomes a pupa. The silk is extremely strong for its size: the pupa would break before the thread, and pulling on it could cut through the pupa.

Q: How do butterfly pupae match their background color?

After shedding its caterpillar skin, the pupa hardens and lightens to resemble its background. Mr. John says it matches the background as closely as it can, like a chameleon, but neither speaker knows how it determines the needed color.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The first step in the lifecycle of a butterfly is the hatching of butterfly eggs, which are laid by female butterflies on specific host plants.

• Butterflies have favorite host plants and will only lay eggs on them, ensuring the survival and development of their offspring.

• After hatching, the caterpillars go through several stages of growth, known as instars, before they transform into pupae.