Do you think caterpillars know that they will turn into a butterfly? ——— It's really hard to say what animals and bugs know, for example I even wonder if our cats know they're going to die someday. I would think it's unlikely the caterpillar knows it will turn into a butterfly, but then, animals are generally smarter than we give them credit for, and we don't really understand how instinct works or how deep it may go..