Cocoons Belong to Moths, Not Butterflies
A cocoon is a silk case spun by a larva. Butterflies do not make them, which surprises most people.
A cocoon is the silk casing a larva spins around itself before pupating. Butterflies do not make cocoons: a butterfly caterpillar forms a bare *chrysalis*, a hardened case that is part of its own body. Moth caterpillars spin silk cocoons around themselves, and the silkworm's is unwound to make silk thread.
- A larva's silk casing. *A silk cocoon.*
- A protective environment. *Wrapped in a cocoon.*
- To wrap protectively. *Cocooned in blankets.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | cocoon | An empty cocoon. |
| Plural | cocoons | Silk cocoons. |
| Verb | cocoon | Cocooned at home. |
| Related | chrysalis | A green chrysalis. |
| Related | pupa | The pupa stage. |
How it is used in a sentence
- A silkworm cocoon yields a single long thread.Often hundreds of metres.
- She cocooned herself in a duvet.Figurative.
- Butterflies form a chrysalis, not a cocoon.A common confusion.
Insect life stages
- Egg — the starting point
- Larva — caterpillar or grub, the feeding stage
- Pupa — the transforming stage
- Cocoon — a silk casing around a moth pupa
- Chrysalis — the hardened pupal case of a butterfly
From French *cocon*, from Provençal *coucoun*, a shell or eggshell, from Latin *coccum*, a berry.
Do butterflies make cocoons?
No. A butterfly pupa is a chrysalis, formed from the caterpillar's own skin, without spun silk around it.
How much silk comes from one cocoon?
A single silkworm cocoon can be unwound into a continuous thread hundreds of metres long.