Can You Tell a Caterpillar’s Sex? Not Until It’s a Butterfly

Caterpillars have sexes, but they look identical. Sex is only distinguishable in the adult butterfly stage via wing patterns. The caterpillar’s job is to eat and grow; mating happens after metamorphosis.

Even scientists struggle to sex caterpillars. Butterflies use pheromones, not sight, to find mates. Nature has it figured out—we don’t need to.