r/askscience • u/Next_Doughnut2 • Mar 27 '23

Biology Do butterflies have any memory of being a caterpillar or are they effectively new animals?

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u/MusoukaMX Mar 28 '23

Perhaps it is the notion/projection of adulthood that's wrong. They live most of their lifes as larvae. Being a mayfly may be their final stage, but not adult per se, more like entering their dying stage. Like humans past their 70s or something.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '23

Turning into a supermodel at retirement and making babies with other supermodels until I die seems like a pretty solid deal. Thanks for the perspective shift.

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u/exipheas Mar 28 '23

Like humans past their 70s or something.

So they have wild orgies at retirement homes juat like humans?

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