The Life Cycle of the Butterfly

I'm a beautiful butterfly!

Adult female butterflies lay eggs on the leaves of plants. When caterpillars hatch from the eggs, they eat the leaves.Eggs can be laid in spring, summer, or autumn.

Caterpillars are also called "larva."During this stage, caterpillars eat and eat. A monarch caterpillar is about the size of the head of a pin when it hatches. It will grow to over two inches long and will shed its skin four or five times!

The Butterfly Life Cycle

Butterfly laying eggs

Egg stage

Caterpillar hatching

Caterpillar (larva) stage

Pupa Stage

Butterfly stage

A butterfly larva creates a chrysalis, while a moth larva makes a cocoon.A monarch will grow and change inside a chrysalis for about two weeks. The caterpillar undergoes metamorphosis, or complete change, from a caterpillar into a butterfly.The butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis complete with wings, probiscus, internal organs, legs, and antennae!