Songs about the life cycle of butterflies can be an effective way for students to gain knowledge about metamorphosis and metamorphisis. Kids will learn new scientific vocabulary such as chrysalis, pupa and adult and be able to relate it directly to their lives.
At this stage, cells begin rapidly proliferating. After an incubation period that could last several weeks to months, caterpillars produce a hard shell known as a chrysalis and become viable adults.
Egg
Eggs are the initial stage in a butterfly’s life cycle and consist of tiny, colorful structures. Female butterflies deposit their eggs onto host plant leaves using adhesive-like substances; this ensures protection from predators.
Once a butterfly’s eggs hatch, its offspring is known as a larva (or caterpillar), spending most of its time eating and growing. After this stage comes pupa (chrysalis). Here, the caterpillar’s body breaks down and reforms into a butterfly through metamorphosis – another process.
At this stage, caterpillars shed their skin four or five times. Eating its old skins provides them with nutrients needed for metamorphosis into butterflies.
At this fourth and final stage of its cycle, an adult butterfly emerges from its chrysalis and starts flying freely around. Adult butterflies then mate and produce more eggs which will go back through its cycle again.
Life’s cycle can be truly fascinating to observe and learn about, including that of butterflies. Witnessing their progression from egg, larva, pupa and adult butterfly stages is fascinating and informative.
Nearly all insect species undergo metamorphosis to become adults. Cockroaches, grasshoppers, flies, crickets, dragonflies and bees all exhibit incomplete metamorphosis and produce young that resemble miniature adults without wings; while butterfly and moth species undergo complete transformation which takes several weeks. Engaging children in watching this event unfold can demonstrate just how vital it is that we take care of the world in which they reside. This activity provides an ideal way for teaching environmental responsibility.
Caterpillar
The butterfly begins its life as an egg laid on a plant. After hatching, its caterpillar stage takes hold; eating for fast growth. At full size, they stop feeding and move into their cocoon which undergoes metamorphosis – this change from caterpillar to butterfly is known as metamorphosis.
Caterpillars possess worm-like bodies with three thoracic segments and ten abdominal segments. Additionally, these creatures boast four pairs of true legs in front as well as two sets of prolegs behind them on either side arranged like an anal clasper (instead of being spaced evenly along their sides).
At such an essential stage in its lifecycle, caterpillars must defend against predators by camouflaging themselves using petals and leaves from plants they are eating as camouflage. A caterpillar named Wavy Lined Emerald moth excels at this strategy by wearing bits of its chrysalis to disguise itself until the time comes for transformation into a moth.
Once inside its cocoon or chrysalis, the caterpillar undergoes another transformation and emerges as a winged adult butterfly. At first, its wings appear damp and wrinkled after emerging; however, after pumping blood into them through pumping blood into them, they dry out sufficiently for flying.
Many butterflies rely on their unique means of locomotion to fly, glide, and hover – as demonstrated in this video clip. Additionally, certain species contain special toxins or foul-tasting compounds in their bodies which they release as deterrents against predators; Monarch butterflies for instance consume glycosides from host plants that remain inside caterpillars until adulthood, rendering them inedible to birds and other potential predators.
Chrysalis
Once the eggs hatch, they transform into baby caterpillars known as larvae that consume food all day and all night long. At this stage, their eating behavior remains constant throughout their development process.
Once a caterpillar reaches full-size, it will attach itself to something firm in order to form its chrysalis. A chrysalis is like a mini sac which hangs off of surfaces – typically green so it blends in seamlessly with its surroundings – helping protect it from predators as the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.
At this stage, the caterpillar’s body breaks down at a cellular level to be transformed into the wings, body and legs of a butterfly. However, during this stage no food or air supply are given and it can take anywhere from one week for this process to occur.
Scientists refer to this complex transformation process as “holometabolism.” New wings first appear in a chrysalis, then the rest of the insect restructures to fit onto its new wings. Although painful, some caterpillars break their chrysalises while others do not and enter a state of hibernation over wintertime.
Once caterpillars have entered their chrysalis, some caterpillars can remain for months or even years before emerging as butterflies. When ready, a butterfly pulls itself out and begins pumping blood into its wings while simultaneously shedding off old skin for good before taking flight – at which point our butterfly conservatory offers the perfect place to see many species from around the world in their natural environments and explore its lifecycle through interactive activities and hands-on exhibits.
Pupa
At this stage, a caterpillar stops eating and searches for an appropriate place to form its pupal skin (chrysalis). This may mean finding shelter among leaves or tree branches, lying prostrate on walls or pieces of bark or attaching itself with silk pads similar to what lepidopterans use – usually using their signature waist belt shaped chrysalis to attach itself securely onto branches or rocks surfaces.
Once a caterpillar is ready to transition into a butterfly, they release prothoracicotropic hormone. This chemical signals them to stop eating and begin the transition process by breaking their bodies down into undifferentiated imaginal cells which will form part of its adult butterfly tissues and also developing wing disks destined to eventually become its wings. Chrysalis stage is not simply restful – instead its old structures are dismantled while new adult ones form simultaneously.
Once its wings have fully developed, a caterpillar sheds its chrysalis. Keep a close watch out for this event as it can be quite dramatic and beautiful – particularly when a large and vibrantly-colored butterfly emerges from its cocoon!
Once a chrysalis splits open, an adult butterfly emerges and begins its life cycle. Male butterflies will now seek out female counterparts to mate with and start again, while female butterflies lay eggs that continue the cycle. Newly emerged butterflies may take an hour or so to expand their wings with hemolymph (the fluid which allows them to fly), before roaming freely about searching for suitable partners to begin life cycles of their own.
Adult
The final stage in a butterfly’s life cycle is its adult stage, when female butterflies find mates and lay eggs to start over the cycle again.
Once an egg hatches, it transforms into a larva or caterpillar. Their main job is eating until they outgrow their bodies. At that point they stop feeding and form a chrysalis; an opaque sac which dangles off surfaces around it like an anvil and hangs from it like a hammock; inside this casement are cells breaking down and reforming into what we recognize as butterfly wings.
At this stage, caterpillars shed their skin about four to five times in what’s called molting, creating their chrysalis somewhere such as on a tree branch, rock face or even ground surface. From there it may take anywhere from one day up to ten months before becoming butterflies!
Once it emerges from its chrysalis, a butterfly’s long wings appear crumpled and wet at first, taking several hours for them to dry and harden before becoming ready for flight.
Most butterflies live only for a week or two as adults; however, certain species hibernate as hibernating adults during winter and may exist for several months as such. Others live for only weeks before either dying off or laying more eggs to restart the cycle again. A butterfly goes through an amazing transformation known as complete metamorphosis during its life span; each stage being: egg, larva, pupa and adult.