Metamorphis – Life Cycle of Butterflies

Eggs are first stage They are tiny,

sometimes microscopic

Laid on the underside of host plant leaves

Hatching predetermined by time eggs are laid

Caterpillars – The Feeding Stage

Minute, some virtually invisible to naked eye

Coloration of caterpillar is quite diverse

Job of caterpillar is to eat, eat, eat Caterpillars must shed skin several

times, each shedding called an instar

Can multiply in size more than a thousand fold

When final instar occurs, pupa emerges

Pupa - The Transition Stage

Transformation in pupa stage is miraculous

What emerges in no way resembles the caterpillar

Complete disassembly of the cells and reassembling of cells into new form

The butterfly emerges from this stage

Adult Butterfly – The Reproductive Stage

Upon emerging, the swollen body pumps fluid into tiny shrived up wings

Within a few hours, wings are full sized, dried, and become more rigid

Butterflies are ready to take flight The job of the adult is to mate

and lay eggs Most live only one or two weeks

All photographs courtesy of The Academy of Natural Sciences http://www.ansp.org/museum/butterflies/life_cycle.php