Life Cycle of Butterfly
After courtship and mating, female butterflies deposit their eggs, often on the undersides of leaves. Many lay their eggs on plants that will provide food for the caterpillars when they hatch.
The caterpillar is the main eating and growth stage (Image A). A caterpillar will eat until it grows too big for its skin! When this happens, it sheds its skin for a new one, and will do this four to six times as it grows.
The pupa is the transformation stage where the caterpillar turns into an adult. A butterfly's pupa is called a chrysalis (Image B). Moths, unlike butterflies, usually enclose their pupa in a silk cocoon spun from special glands.
Egg
Tiny eggs are laid by the female on leaf. Around 5 days later, a tiny wormlike creature will hatch.
Caterpillar
The caterpillar is the primary eating and growth stage of the insect.
Pupa
The pupa or chrysalis is the resting or transformation stage, and within it the marvelous transformation from caterpillar to adult takes place.
Emerges
The adult emerges from the chrysalis.
Butterfly
A butterfly or moth is emerging now. The pupa skin splits, the limp, damp butterfly crawls out-now with compound eyes, a probocis for feeding and six legs. The wings are expanded and blood is pumping into them. A little warming from the sun and it is now ready to fly off to feed and then lay its eggs.