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Differences in a Chrysalis & a Cocoon

Both moths and butterflies lay eggs that hatch into caterpillars. These caterpillars will then shed their skins and produce a cocoon, if it's a moth, or a chrysalis, if it's a butterfly, before becoming an adult. This cycle can last from a few days or weeks to several months, depending on the climate.

Butterflies
- Butterflies lay their eggs on plant leaves.
  
  Butterflies lay eggs on a plant, so that when the caterpillar hatches it has something to eat. Once the caterpillar has eaten the leaf it hatched on, it searches for food. When it's ready, the caterpillar will find a safe place, shed its skin and attach itself to a leaf with a sticky substance that hardens and becomes a chrysalis.
Chrysalis
- A chrysalis is smooth and made of hardened protein. The chrysalis is formed beneath the caterpillar and appears when its skin is shed.
Moths
- Moths lay eggs in beehives or underwater.
  
  Some moths lay their eggs in beehives, while others lay them underwater. When the caterpillar is ready to become an adult, it either digs a hollow hole in the ground to form its cocoon or finds a spot, like the butterfly, to hibernate. Moth pupae, the stage between larva and adult, have small hooks that will help them out of the cocoon or hole.
Cocoon
- A cocoon is spun from silk. The silk is hardened saliva that is secreted from the mouth of the caterpillar.

Insects & Science