Finally they take a nap for a week or two and wake up as butterflies. During the nap time most of the organs and other tissues of the caterpillar break down, turning into a semiliquid. From this material are formed the wings, legs, and other parts of the adult. At last the adult is ready to wake up and become a butterfly or moth. This is a most unusual life cycle, yet it was the Creator's pleasure to cause caterpillars to turn into butterflies through this remarkable process.
Caterpillars eat plants while most butterflies drink the nectar of flowers.
Those that live for several months also eat pollen and other foods. This requires a change in how they eat for the caterpillar has a mouth to bit off pieces of leaves and push it into his body, while butterflies have a long slender sucking tube. When the tube is not in use it is coiled up like a delicate watch spring. By uncoiling the tube butterflies probe deep into the flowers and suck up the nectar. Caterpillars crawl to move around.