How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly?

The answer

Inside the chrysalis, a caterpillar releases digestive enzymes that break down almost all of its body into a protein-rich soup. Specialized clusters of cells called imaginal discs, which were dormant since the caterpillar's embryonic stage, survive this process and use the nutrient soup to rapidly grow into the butterfly's new body parts - wings, antennae, legs, and compound eyes. The entire transformation typically takes 10 to 14 days.