The lowly silkworm is of great economic importance, and wars have been fought and empires founded on silk, not to mention Louis Pasteur s career. Pupae in butterflies are called chrysalises. Many moths pupate underground, but those that do spin a cocoon subsequently molt to a pupa inside the cocoon, then molt to adult before coming out. These bite a host, then sponge up the blood. They are wingless and parasitic, with flattened bodies, the better to crawl between their host s hair.
Eggs laid by the females fall off into carpeting, the pet s bedding, etc., where they hatch.
The larvae live in rugs and the pet s bedding and feed on organic material there. Eventually, they pupate in silk cocoons, often in the crevice between the rug and a table leg. Unlike termites, worker ants have a waist, and they are darker color than termites. Many hymenopteran species are colonial with castes. Generally, workers are sterile females, and there are very few males in a colony.