Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Pamela James
The Beginning
Butterflies are insects. They have 6 legs, 3 body parts, antennae, compound eyes, and an exoskeleton. The four wings and the six legs are attached to the thorax. There are poisonous and non-poisonous butterflies. The poisonous butterflies fly slower, around 5 mph and the faster ones, known as skippers, can fly up to 30 mph.
The Life Cycle
The life cycle of a butterfly has 4 stages; the egg, the larva (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult. Depending on the type of butterfly, it can take from one month to a year for them to go through these stages.
The First Stage: Egg
The butterfly begins as a very small, round egg. This shape can vary depending on the variety of butterfly. Did you know that if you look close enough, you might even see the butterfly growing inside the egg?
The Second Stage: The Larva (Caterpillar)
When the egg finally hatches, the larva, or caterpillar, appears. It will not stay in this stage for long and it will mostly do nothing but eat while it's a caterpillar.
The Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly
Amazing Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly