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How do some butterfly chrysalides hang from a silk pad?
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Lepidoptera
Heliconius butterfly in South America.
In many butterfly species, the pupa (or chrysalis) hangs in a head-down position from a silk pad by a specialized structure called the cremaster.1
The cremaster is a spiny pad or spike located at the posterior end of the pupa. Before pupation, the larva spins silk threads onto a surface to create a pad, which provides an anchor for the cremaster to attach to. Once the larva settles and transforms, this connection allows the chrysalis to remain securely suspended during the pupal stage.21