> During metamorphosis, after the larva stage, which creature turns itself into asoup-like substance?And the answer: caterpillar. Photo courtesy: OSHIAKI ONO / Getty Images.While in a cocoon, the caterpillardigests itself, releasing enzymes to dissolve all of its tissues. This creates asort of caterpillar soup. Certain cells survive this process and begin buildingthe essential elements of the butterfly or moth, including its wings and legs.From caterpillar to butterfly, the life cycle of these metamorphic creatures isa delicate yet highly complex process. From the moment the tiny caterpillarbursts through its egg, it is on a quest of growth. As it consumes leaves, itbegins to shed its skin in a process called molting. When it has molted enoughtimes, and consequently grown large enough, the caterpillar will find a branchfrom which it hangs itself upside down, and molts a final time to reveal itsshiny chrysalis. From there, things get a bit, well, soupy. While the enzymes dissolve all theparts resembling a caterpillar, highly organized groups of cells called imaginaldiscs remain to shape the form of the butterfly soon to come. These discs arespecialized, each taking the form of the adult butterfly body parts. Somespecies of caterpillar are born with these discs, and carry them internallyuntil the point of metamorphosis. While caterpillars' transformation is considered a "complete metamorphosis,"other small insects transform in an "incomplete metamorphosis." Grasshoppers,crickets, dragonflies, and cockroaches usually look like a smaller version ofthe adults but without the wings at the time of their hatching, accounting forthe "incomplete" of their metamorphosis. To see these incredible insects' metamorphosis in action, check out the videobelow.