Hawk-Moth Eggs
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Mullein Moth Caterpillar
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Emperor Moth Pupa
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Adult Peacock Moth
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The beginning of a moth’s journey starts when an adult moth lays its eggs. These eggs transform from semi-translucent to opaque throughout their development. Upon hatching, the young caterpillar escapes from its enclosure though the top, then wriggling its way out, ending the endeavor by feasting upon its own egg.
During the caterpillar stage, caterpillars spend the majority of their time eating flower nectar, rotting fruit, and sap, preparing themselves for the next stage of development. During this phase, caterpillars shed their skin multiple times to compensate for rapid body growth. When a caterpillar is finished developing, it will search for a safe place to shed its skin one last time to form a Pupa.
The pupa acts as a protective silk case against predators and the elements. Common areas for moths to pupate are foodplants, sticks, or leaves, though some species will spend the pupa stage underground. Once spun, the caterpillar spends the pupa stage breaking its body down and forming into an adult moth. The casing becomes semi-transparent throughout the pupa stage, allowing the wings to be viewed, until the adult moth finally emerges, slowly splitting open the casing and wriggling its way free. During this, they release its waste through a liquid called meconium at the tip of the abdomen. The moth will then need to quickly debut its wings before they harden to allow its wings to form properly.
The task of an adult moth is to find a mate and procreate. Most female moths will lay their eggs inside crevasses of plats that do not contain any other eggs. While some moths lay their eggs in large batches, many moths also lay single eggs at a time. Either way, the eggs are stuck to the plant.
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