Stages Of A Butterfly

 

Butterfly egg. Artwork by Dale Crawford. (click to get large image).

Tiny eggs are laid by the female

on a leaf. Around 5 days later, a tiny wormlike creature will hatch.


Caterpillar (larva). Artwork by Dale Crawford. (click to get large image). The caterpillar is the primary eating and growth stage of the insect.

Pupa (or chrysalis). Artwork by Dale Crawford. (click to get large image). The pupa or chrysalis is the resting or transformation stage, and within it the marvelous transformation from caterpillar to adult takes place.

Adult butterfly emerges from chrysalis. Artwork by Dale Crawford. (click to get large image). The adult emerges from the chrysalis.

 


Adult Butterfly and Moth. Artwork by Dale Crawford. (click to get large image).

A butterfly or moth is emerging now.  The pupa skin splits, the limp, damp butterfly crawls out-now with compound eyes, a proboscis for feeding and six legs.  The wings are expanded and blood is pumping into them.  A little warming from the sun and it is now ready to fly off to feed and then lay its eggs.

Monarch on flowers. Artwork by Dale Crawford. (click to get image alone). 

 

 

 

 

Butterfly Lifecycle Printout