A monarch caterpillar twists to embed its cremaster in a silk pad. Then, it sheds its skin one final time, revealing its chrysalis. A caterpillar spends most of its life crawling on -- and devouring -- its food source.

Where does the chrysalis come from?

What is a chrysalis made of? The chrysalis is simply the word for the butterfly during the pupa stage. The outside of the chrysalis is the exoskeleton, or skin, of the pupa. When it becomes time for the larva (caterpillar) to become a chrysalis, the caterpillar spins a silk button from which it hangs.

Where do caterpillars make their chrysalis?

It's important for caterpillars to find a spot that they feel secure from predators, as well as sheltered from wind and rain. Caterpillars do not usually pupate on their host milkweed plants. Instead, they move as far as 10 meters from their initial plant to a tree, another plant, or even the side of a house!