Silk Moth

The Silk Moth (Bombyx mori) is an insect in the Bombycidae family of silk moths. 

The Silk Moth has a heavy, bristly body and small wings. It is fair to light brown with thin dark bands across its body. Its wings are cream-coloured. It is not capable of sustained flight – it is only airborne for a short time.

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Eyed Longhorn Beetle

The Eyed Longhorn Beetle (Oberea oculata) is an insect in the Cerambycidae family of longhorn beetles. It is also known as the Eyed Longicorn.

The Eyed Longhorn Beetle has an elongated, brown body with brown wing cases called elytra. It has an orange thorax and underbelly. It has two black dots on its pronotum (the section behind its head). It has a shiny black head with long, black antennae. 

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Protaetia Beetle

The Protaetia Beetle (Cetonia aeruginosa or Protaetia aeruginosa) is an insect in the Scarabaeidae family of chafers. It is related to the Scarab Beetle. 

The Protaetia Beetle has an oval body with six legs. It is metallic iridescent green with a copper-brown head. Its underbelly is coppery brown. The male has dents on its wing cases, whereas the female has fewer or no dents. Its wing cases protect its wings.

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Small White Butterfly

The Small White Butterfly (Pieris rapae rapae) is a small insect in the Pieridae family of white and yellow butterflies. It is also known as the Small Cabbage White. 

The Small White Butterfly has a white upperside—the male is creamy-white and the female is brighter white – with light-black tips on its forewings (front wings). The female has two large black spots in the middle of its forewings and the male has a small black spot on both its forewings and hind (back) wings. Its underside is yellowish with black speckles.  It has club-shaped antennae.

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Yellowjacket Hoverfly

The Yellowjacket Hoverfly (Milesia virginieusis) is an insect in the Syrphidae family of hoverflies. It is also known as the Virginia Flower Fly or the Syrphid Fly. It is a syrphid. It is also a pollinator. It is related to the Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax).

The Yellowjacket Hoverfly looks like a hornet, bee, or wasp, but it does not have a stinger on its tail. It is harmless. It is bright, glossy yellow with dark bands on its abdomen. It has six short yellowish legs. It has very large, black compound eyes. It has one pair of translucent (clear, see-through) wings with dark veins. 

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Instar

What is an instar?

An instar is the development stage of an insect between each stage of moulting, or shedding its skin. 

For example, each stage from egg to larvae (grub) to pupa (chrysalis or cocoon) to an adult insect, as an insect undergoes metamorphosis, is called an instar.

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Two-Spotted Ladybird Beetle

The Two-Spotted Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) is a small insect in the Coccinellidae family of ladybird beetles. It is also known as the Two Spotted Lady Beetle or the Two Spotted Ladybug.

The Two-Spotted Ladybird Beetle can have a red or a yellow body with two black spots on its elytra (two wing cases). Its body is oval-shaped and slightly domed. Its wings are hidden underneath the wing cases. It has black compound eyes. Its antennae are light-brown, quite long, and slightly thickened at the ends. Its neck shield usually covers the head and has white spots. It has little black legs. 

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Asiatic Rhinoceros Beetle

The Asiatic Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) is a small insect in the Scarabaeidae family of scarab beetles. It is also known as the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle or the Coconut Palm Rhinoceros Beetle.

The Asiatic Rhinoceros Beetle is glossy black with a blue-green sheen, and a large horn, like the horn of a rhinoceros. It has black wing cases, called elytra. Each wing case (elytron) is covered with white wax and a number of small nodules or lumps. Its antennae are short. It has spikey hairs on its six legs.

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Montrouzier’s Ulysses Butterfly

The Montrouzier’s Ulysses Butterfly (Papilio montrouzieri) is a large insect in the family of swallowtail butterflies.

The Montrouzier’s Ulysses Butterfly has iridescent electric blue wings with brown-black edges. It has forked hind (back) wings. Its underside is brown-black. The female has crescent-shaped blue markings on her hind wings. Its body is brown-black with long antennae.

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What is the difference between a chrysalis, a cocoon, and a pupa?

What is the difference between a chrysalis, a cocoon and a pupa?

A chrysalis is the pupal casing of butterflies. A butterfly caterpillar pupates into a chrysalis, and an adult butterfly emerges.

A cocoon is the pupal casing made of moths and other insect larvae. A moth caterpillar pupates into a cocoon, and an adult moth emerges.

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