What term describes the state of suspended animation the Woolly Bear enters during winter using antifreeze?
Answer
Cryptobiosis
The Woolly Bear enters cryptobiosis as part of its overwintering strategy. This term refers to a metabolic state of extreme dormancy where physiological activity is reduced to the lowest possible level, enabling survival in adverse environmental conditions, such as deep cold. By producing glycerol, the caterpillar effectively halts its metabolism, preventing damage from ice crystal formation, which is necessary because, as a member of Lepidoptera, it undergoes complete metamorphosis and must survive the winter phase before emerging as an adult moth.
Related Questions
What is the scientific designation for the Woolly Bear recognized across North America?Which Phylum groups the Woolly Bear based on its exoskeleton and jointed appendages?The Order Lepidoptera connects the Woolly Bear caterpillar to which general group of insects?Into which Family has modern taxonomy largely shifted species like *P. isabella* from older Arctiidae groupings?What is the common name for the adult form emerging after the pupation of *P. isabella*?What antifreeze substance does the Woolly Bear Caterpillar produce to survive freezing temperatures?What term describes the state of suspended animation the Woolly Bear enters during winter using antifreeze?Which fuzzy caterpillar, also in Erebidae, is distinguished from *P. isabella* by its often uniform coloration?Confirmation that the Woolly Bear is a true insect is established by its placement in which Linnaean Class?The folklore regarding the Woolly Bear's banding pattern is actually linked to what factor, rather than future weather?