The lifecycle of a butterfly encompasses four stages – Egg, Larva, Pupa and Adult – each serving their own purpose in the cycle.
Once the larva has eaten its way through its chlorae, it becomes a pupa (or chrysalis). Although nothing visible appears to change within this hardened shell, much is transpiring within.
Egg
Female Lepidoptera lay 200-500 eggs depending on their species, which vary in shape and size according to instinctive behavior. When laid on plants for hatching caterpillars to consume as they hatch. Mandibles (tooth-like jaws found in insects with chewing mouthparts) help caterpillars consume their food source more easily.
After several days, the eggs hatch. At first, baby caterpillars appear very small and white in color, feeding on their birth plant to grow quickly. Over time they shed their old skin or cuticle composed of tough material called chitin and special proteins known as cuticle shedder. This process is known as molting; caterpillars may shed it four or five times during this stage because their bodies continue to expand too rapidly for their old skins to accommodate all their parts.
At its fifth instar, a caterpillar is ready to begin its final transformation into a butterfly. After finding an appropriate environment and finding its new cocoon or chrysalis, it will spin a button of silk to attach its new cocoon. From here it may remain dormant for weeks, months or even years depending on species and environmental factors.
Once a chrysalis is mature, its larva emerges. At this momentous occasion, its wings spread as it pumps haemolymph through its veins to expand them rapidly – this process is known as metamorphosis.
Caterpillar
The caterpillar is the larval stage in a butterfly’s life cycle. As it increases in size, it feeds, grows and sheds its skin four or more times as its size expands. Once reaching growth saturation point, its old skin no longer expands enough to accommodate its expanding body; at which point, molting occurs and new cuticle develops to fit with this expanded body – after which eating resumes as it matures to full adult size over several days; once achieved it will resume eating as an adult before starting this cycle all over again!
After mating, female butterflies typically search for leaves to lay their eggs upon. She can identify the desired plant species based on color and shape alone; then using her feet to beat its surface causing characteristic plant odor to be released; she may even release pheromone from her veins to attract male butterflies.
Once the eggs have been laid, a caterpillar feeds on food to eat and continue growing into adulthood. When reaching its final adult size, it seeks a safe location to begin its next stage and forms a pupal case (chrysalis). The color can vary between brown or green for camouflage purposes before entering its third and final transformative stage (known as metamorphosis) where remarkable transformation takes place – when its old caterpillar body begins dissolving into wings, legs, and head of an emerging butterfly!
Moths weave silken cocoons to shield themselves, but butterflies use their bodies to form durable chrysalises that withstand strong winds and cold. Once ready to emerge, they uncoil from their protective shell, crawl out, hang upside-down for wings to dry properly before emerging as adults ready for flight!
Pupa
After feeding on its host plant leaves, caterpillars progress to the pupal stage – an inactive nonfeeding stationary stage (although some will twitch or move slightly), in which their adult structures are formed during development. Pupals are only found among insects which undergo complete metamorphosis; butterflies that skip it are considered “nymphs or imagos”.
At its pupal stage, a caterpillar sheds its old skin for good and exposes a hard, silky coating known as a chrysalis or eclosion – this “sack-like” covering hangs down like an anchor until its time comes for transformation into butterfly form – often seen by observers as both cathartic and painful for its hosts.
While in its chrysalis, caterpillar wings undergo massive mitosis and rapidly transform from miniature forms seen on pupal skin into large structures capable of carrying adult weight. A significant amount of nutrients are required to complete this transformation of these delicate structures into wings capable of flight.
Though butterflies and moths undergo drastic metamorphoses, the pupal stages share many similarities with their final juvenile instars in terms of gene expression. Kr-h1, an anti-metamorphic gene found only in these final larval instars and pupae, has an influence that suggests these final preadult stages might be closely related; however, distinct expression profiles associated with postembryonic development suggest it cannot be achieved on one to one level.
Chrysalis
Once a caterpillar reaches its final larval instar, it seeks out a safe location, moults for one last time, and forms an encasement known as a chrysalis to rest. Here, its internal components undergo major transformation as its cells break apart and recombine into the wings, body and legs of an adult butterfly.
Moth caterpillars create silk cocoons to protect themselves, but most butterfly caterpillars produce a hardened exoskeleton known as a chrysalis instead. When seen close up, this looks similar to an upside-down caterpillar hanging upside-down from a branch with wings folded neatly behind its back – an effective camouflage from predators who might come knocking. A chrysalis can take weeks, months, or even years for full development into adulthood.
The butterfly’s life cycle provides a metaphor for youth and young adults experiencing spiritual development between adolescence and adulthood. Encourage students to consider their own spiritual growth while studying butterfly life cycles, creating a Venn diagram to show similarities and differences in changes they notice between themselves and a butterfly’s.
At its most vulnerable state, butterflies in their chrysalis stage are most prone to predators; as it cannot fly, bite, or sting. When it’s time for their emerge, however, the chrysalis cracks open and they squeeze out. When ready, gravity helps pump blood into its wings that expand outward; it then pumps more fluid into its body before flying away! To give students an interactive learning experience about butterflies’ lifecycles use this activity sheet by having students trace butterfly shapes on one side while their caterpillar and chrysalis counterparts on another; then let students color both shapes!
Adult
A butterfly’s lifecycle includes four major stages: egg, caterpillar, pupa (or chrysalis) and adulthood. This process of metamorphosis (Greek for transformation) gives each stage its own look; as a result, their wings change drastically from stage to stage.
At the core of every butterfly life is its egg. These small orbs, usually round or ovate in shape and colored according to species, are covered in hard shell known as chorion for protection from predators and parasites; additionally there is a micropyle on its bottom which allows sperm into and fertilize it – female butterflies will lay numerous eggs while male butterflies will mate with one.
Once a butterfly lays its eggs, it must defend them from predators and parasites through what is known as territorial behavior. Many species lay their eggs together so as to increase the odds of fertilized eggs being fertilized more readily. After approximately one week, an egg hatches into larval form and begins its journey of development into adulthood.
At this early stage in a butterfly’s life cycle, they feed and expand by eating their own skin. Over time they will pass through various instars, moulting multiple times between stages as they shed their wings pads for larger wingspan and expand further.
Once a caterpillar reaches maturity, it will find a safe space in which to encase itself within a chrysalis or other protective covering. As it remains motionless for some time, its body will break down at a cellular level before eventually reforming into a butterfly.
Dependent upon its species, this stage may last from several days to over a year. During this time, the butterfly may overwinter or hibernate. Once fully developed, they’ll emerge from their chrysalis and hang upside-down for some time to stretch their wings before flying off in search of a mate.