Yesterday’s blog post was about how little wood frogs are able to survive the winter by freezing. I was amazed by this discovery!
Every fall, just before temperatures drop and the frost comes, I always see little wooly caterpillars all over the place. Every year I wonder how these little caterpillars survive the winter. There is clearly not enough time for them to turn into a butterfly. (I never realized these little wooly caterpillars don’t turn into butterflies … they turn into moths.) Does their little fuzzy coat keep them warm enough?? I’ve had no idea.
I was so excited when I recently came across this piece in my devotional book: Inspired Evidence, by Julie von Vett & Bruce Malone.
“Most caterpillars live only a few weeks before turning into moths. But the Arctic woolly-bear caterpillar lives for 14 years as a caterpillar! This means it goes through 13 seasons of being completely frozen through the winter … and then thawing out each spring. In its 14th year, it becomes a moth.
“For each of those 14 years, whenever summer is nearing its end, the Arctic woolly-bear caterpillar starts to make glycerol, a type of antifreeze. Normally when fluid freezes, the expanding crystals rupture the cell’s membrane, allowing the fluid to leak out. But the caterpillar uses glycerol (a sugar) to control the process of crystal formation.
“As the temperature drops, the woolly-bear caterpillar’s gut freezes first, then its blood, and then the caterpillar shows no heartbeat or breathing. It is completely frozen.
“When spring arrives, it thaws out, ready to eat and grow again.”
I had no idea! That is the coolest thing ever!
Not only that … check out this about butterflies!
(also from: Inspired Evidence)
“We often see butterflies so early in the spring that they could not have had time to come from caterpillars. How do these butterflies survive the freezing temperatures of winter?
“The Mourning Cloak butterfly hibernates in holes or behind loose bark. But before it goes to sleep for the winter, it fills its body with antifreeze.
“Normal cells are filled mostly with water, but water expands 9% when frozen. This expansion within a cell would cause the cell membranes to break – killing the creature. So, the butterfly makes glycerol (a sugar) within its cells, allowing the butterfly’s body to cool to -50*F without freezing.
“In early spring this butterfly re-appears, even before most other insects. The butterfly feeds on the sap of spring trees, which leaks from injuries and buds.
“The Mourning Cloak butterfly also has mostly black on its wings which act like solar panels, absorbing the heat from the sun. This allows the cold-blooded butterfly to be able to move around normally, even though the springtime temperatures are still cool.
“The Mourning Cloak butterfly is not the only butterfly which hibernates – there are several other butterflies which make antifreeze in the fall and hibernate throughout the winter. God designed these butterflies to survive the brutal winter as an adult butterfly.
“The next time you see a butterfly very early in the spring – it is probably a butterfly which was designed to make antifreeze!”
That is so amazing! I am in awe!
Thank you God for the marvelous way You have designed Your creation! God, You are amazing! And we love you!
“Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever.” – Psalm 106:1
“How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You made them all.” – Psalm 104:24
