Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

A butterfly life cycle is an example of complete metamorphosis.

Butterflies lay eggs

From the hundreds of eggs that a single butterfly lays, only a few larvae that hatch in the wild will survive to become butterflies. Many of the hatching larvae will be food for other animals.

Depending on their species most caterpillars remain in the larval stage from 4 weeks to 11 months

Brightly colored gardens attract butterflies. Some butterfly favorites include zinnia, asters, marigolds, daisies, cone-flowers, black-eyed susans, and of course the butterfly bush. Monarchs are especially attracted to milkweed for laying their eggs.

The pupal stage can last from a few days to many months depending on the species

The color of a chrysalis often matches the habitat in which it is formed. Green if on green leaves, brown if wintering on brown leaves, etc.

Butterfly eggs are usually laid on the leaves of the plants on which the larvae will feed. The eggs are very small and come in various colors depending on the species, including white, green, yellow, and black.

In 3-7 days larvae will hatch from the eggs

Larval stage

Next the larva becomes a pupa within a chrysalis

Finally the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis