Exuviate

You may have heard the term exuviate when taking a science course.  It is to talk about animals that molt, or that shed.  The term, exuviate, means to shed or to remove an old covering.  It also means to remove a condition so that you can take on a new one.  Molting is a good example of this term.

Many animals molt, or exuviate, as part of their normal life occurrences.  Animals that lose their exoskeleton, their fur or their feathers are molting.  The thyroid and the pituitary glands of the animal secrete a substance, much like a hormone, that causes the molting to happen.

For birds, for example, the exuviate period is in the late summer months.  For several weeks at a time, they will slowly lose all of their feathers.  Even though they do lose many of their feathers, they do not lose the ability to fly, as they normally will.  Some birds will not be able to fly during this time such as ducks and birds that dive.

In the springtime, a handful of birds will actually exuviate again.  This time, the goal is to change from their standard color to bright, beautiful colorings, which are supposed to attract a mate. 

Other animals also exuviate.  Arthropods will molt to remove their exoskeletons.  This happens because the animal needs to grow.  As they grow, the need for a larger surrounding skin becomes important.  This happens to animals such as insects and crustaceans.  Another animal that has an exuviate period is the snake.  They will lose their skin several times per year.  This allows them to grow and to adjust to the temperatures that they live in.

For animals, to exuviate is to start fresh with a new skin or surrounding shell.  This provides them with a health start on the next months of their lives.