Woolly Caterpillars on the Tundra
In Woolly Caterpillars on the Tundra, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes how a woolly caterpillar has waited 14 years to transform into a moth. Learn how this tough caterpillar transforms as winter melts into spring. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Frozen Planet, a series that shows a fragile world of beauty and hostility, where nature finds a way to survive and thrive in frigid conditions.
Lesson Express
Q: How does the tundra transform from winter to spring? Look at images of the tundra in winter and spring. What do you notice?
A: The ice melts, forming waterfalls and rivers.
Q: Why do woolly caterpillars take so long to create cocoons and transform into moths?
A: They are waiting for just the right conditions.
Q: How does the woolly caterpillar’s life exemplify the struggle to survive in the Arctic?
A: Students may talk about how it waits for more than a decade for the perfect time to become a moth. They may also mention how it freezes solid during winter.
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