What exactly happens inside a caterpillar's cocoon?

No, caterpillars don't really know what they're doing in the same way that we can't tell our bodies when to start puberty or command our menstrual cycles to happen with our brain power (if that sort of thing happens to you). read more

In all caterpillars, this happens inside a protective shell known as a chrysalis, but the specifics differ from species to species. Let's look at the monarch caterpillar (Danaus plexippus) as an example. After wandering for a while, the caterpillar makes a simple silk pad on the underside of a branch or twig. read more

Insect development happens through a cascade of hormones that first trigger the caterpillar to get bigger through a series of molts, or instars. Then, with the absence of something called juvenile hormone, the caterpillar turns into a cocoon, and then into an adult. read more

Often, moth caterpillars spin a cocoon to protect their chrysalis, which starts out soft and skin-like. However, it will gradually harden to form a protective shell. The moth caterpillar may also disguise the cocoon with leaves or other debris. read more