Metamorphosis of a Butterfly

You may know that I participated in a Natural History Show in Toronto a few years ago where I could only show science + art works related to zoology, botany, ecology, anatomy, fossils or gem stones. Thus, I was faced with the challenge of creating art in a different field of study to what I usually do, yet having to stay true to my style of using molecule diagrams in my designs.

I came up with five original art works related to the chemistry of plants, insects, and fungi. One of them was about the chemistry within a Butterfly's Life Cycle.

The life cycle has four stages:

1. Egg - juvenile hormone O is responsible for egg maturation and larval growth
2. Caterpillar - isobutyric acid is secreted as a defense mechanism
3. Chrysalis - chitin is abundant in the structure of the chrysalis
4. Butterfly - citral is a courtship pheromone

Butterflies are winged-insects that can be generally found all around the world where and whenever the weather is warm. Some like the Monarch Butterfly even migrate from North to Central America over four generations or life cycles. Butterflies pollinate a variety of flowering plants and crops. I looked through my album and found some photos of butterflies I've encountered in real life. Isn't that glass wing butterfly really cool?

Have you seen any interesting butterflies flying around your neighbourhood? Do you have a butterfly garden? Let me know in the comments below.

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