In polymer chemistry, polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form polymer chains or three-dimensional networks. There are many forms of polymerization and different systems exist to categorize them.
The thistle caterpillar is the larval stage of the painted lady butterfly. The adult insect migrates into Iowa each year from Texas and Mexico. Eggs are laid on both thistle and soybeans. The caterpillar is easily identified by the spines that resemble Christmas trees that have lost all their needles.
The caterpillars, the larval stage of the buck moth, are black or dark purple and have yellow-white spots and a small red head. They feed on the leaves of live oaks, red oaks and water oaks; often move in groups; and drop from the branches when theyâre disturbed.