Life Cycle of a Butterfly The complete life

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

The complete life cycle of the butterfly.

Stage 1: The Egg The egg is a tiny round oval object, usually with fine ribs and other microscopic structures. The female attaches the egg to leaves, stems, or other objects, usually on or near the intended caterpillar food.

Stage 1: The Egg While in the egg stage the caterpillar grows in the inside of the egg.

Stage 2: The Larva The caterpillar (or larva) is the long, worm-like stage of the butterfly. It often has an interesting pattern of stripes or patches, and it may have spine-like hairs. It is the feeding and growth stage. As it grows, it sheds its skin four or more times so as to enclose its rapidly growing body.

Stage 2: The Larva While in the caterpillar stage it eats as much as it can. The caterpillar usually eats leaves. While it grows the skin sheds like a snake. The purpose of the caterpillar eats so much is to store all the food for the next stage.

Stage 3: Pupa The chrysalis (or pupa) is the transformation stage within which the caterpillar forms a protective shell around its body so it can change forms from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Once the caterpillar is fully grown the shell splits open.

Stage 4: The Adult The adult is colorful butterfly. It is the reproductive and the final stage for the species. The adult butterfly is also the stage that forms new habitats. The butterfly pictured here is a Monarch which is fairly large in size. When the wings of the butterfly are dry the butterflies know to look for food. The food the butterfly looks for is mainly nectar from plants.

The anatomy of a butterfly

Vocabulary words: 1. Forewing: The larger part of the wing that sits in front of the other wing.

Vocabulary words 2. Wing Base: Where the wings meet at the center of the butterflies body.

Vocabulary words 3. Antenna: A moveable stick attached to the butterflies head that can detect wind and other smells around them.

Vocabulary words 4. Eye: The part of the body that lets the butterfly see.

Vocabulary words 5. Proboscis: The nose of the butterfly

Vocabulary words 6. Thorax: The part of the body that connects the head and the abdomen.

Vocabulary Words 7. Abdomen: The “tail” of the butterfly. The abdomen contains the heart and the rest of the organs.

Vocabulary words 8. Margin: The outer lining of the butterflies wing.

Vocabulary words 9. Hind Wing: The second or back wing of the butterfly.

Vocabulary words 10. Wingtip: The very tip of the butterflies wing.

Vocabulary words 11. Egg: The first stage in the butterfly life cycle.

Vocabulary Words 12. Caterpillar: the larval stage of a butterfly.

Vocabulary words 13. larva: the second stage of metamorphosis, during which an insect is wormlike.

Vocabulary Words 14. Chrysalis: the third stage of metamorphosis for butterflies

Vocabulary Words 15. pupa: the third stage of metamorphosis of butterflies; may be called a chrysalis

Questions There are four questions to answer. For each question, click on the correct answer.

Question 1 What is the correct order of the butterfly’s life cycle? 1. Egg, caterpillar, pupa, butterfly 2. Egg, pupa, butterfly, caterpillar 3. Pupa, egg, caterpillar, butterfly