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Pupa disguised as dead leaves

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Collected pupae hang in pupae box waiting to emerge as butterflies

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Close-up of pupae in pupae box pinned through silk pad

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Gulf Fritillary butterflies emerging from pupae in the wild

As butterflies are most vulnerable to their predators in the pupal stage, the pupae are camouflaged. Each pupa has a different shape and it is at this stage that they are shipped to museums and universities so they emerge as live butterflies at the buyer's site.