Life cycle of a Butterfly

Article ID : 11
Created on 2007-06-20 at 6:14 PM
Author : Rahul Bhanot [rahulbhanot@yahoo.com]

Online URL : http://www.knowledge-gallery.com/article-11.html

Butterfly passes through four stages in its life cycle. Usually it lays eggs on a leaf. When the eggs hatch a small larva emerges and crawls out. This larva of a butterfly is called a caterpillar which starts eating the leaf and grows This is the active stage. During its life it moults a few times. Each time it becomes bigger. Soon it changes into a pupa. This pupa may be hanging on the plant in a small loop of silk. And after a few weeks the pupa turns into a beautiful adult butterfly.

Egg Stage

The female butterfly lays an egg on a plant.

Larva Stage

The egg hatches and the larva (caterpillar) comes out.

Pupa Stage

The caterpillar feeds on the plant and grows. When its skin becomes too small, the old skin splits open and the caterpillar pops out with a new skin on. This happens four or five times. When the caterpillar is fully grown it makes a little silk pad on a leaf or twig and attaches itself to it. The caterpillar's skin splits for the last time. It is now in the pupa stage.
Under the skin is the chrysalis. Many changes happen to the chrysalis. The wings, legs and rest of the butterfly are formed inside the chrysalis.

Adult Anatomy

Butterfly Adult Anatomy

Adult Stage

The last stage is the adult stage when the chrysalis splits and the butterfly comes out.

Life Cycle of Butterflies

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