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This is a strange clump of caterpillars we found.   They were a slithering ball of caterpillars, which we might have easily mistaken for just another clump of forest debris.  

After building a cocoon, the caterpillar goes through a remarkable transformation into a moth or butterfly.  

The major difference between butterflies and moths are their sleeping habits.   As a general rule, but not always, moths are nocturnal.   Butterflies tend to be diurnal, or active during the day.

The Amazon is home to more moth and butterfly species than anywhere else on the planet. A single square mile of rainforest often houses more than 50,000 insect species. While caterpillars all have different life cycles, most will use metamorphosis to change shape completely.