Manduca Life Cycle: the pupal stage

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Hiding out
In nature, Manduca pupae bury themselves about 9-15 inches deep underground,in loose soil or leaf litter. This protects them from predators and the weather.

Over the first few hours, chemical reactions cause the pale green skin or cuticle of the new pupa to harden and turn dark brown. During the three-week pupation period, tissues are reorganized to form the structures of the adult Manduca.

Looking closely at the cuticle, you can see the location of the developing wings, eyes, antennae, and proboscis (tongue) of the adult moth. In a sense, the cuticle is a mold into which the developing adult is formed.

The pupa loses the ability to walk, but it can still move. If the pupa is disturbed, the end of the abdomen thrashes violently. This response is defensive, and may startle a potential predator into dropping the pupa and seeking a less lively meal. The thrashing is also effective against small predators, and may decapitate ants attacking by way of the spiracles. When the adult emerges, the cuticle is split open and left behind.

Male or Female? How to tell

Videos

	Eclosion This video shows a moth emerging from the pupal case. Note how waste materials are excreted and how the proboscis is extended. 28.8k modem (290 K) 56k modem (386 K) T1 line (1.4 MB)
	Wing Inflation After eclosion, the moth pumps fluid from the abdomen into the wing to inflate it. 28.8k modem (290k) 56k modem (386k) T1 line (1.3 MB)

In research | Life cycle | The egg | The larva | The pupa | The adult