Kids Science
The life cycle of a butterfly
We all love butterflies for their beautiful, brightly-coloured wings.
But did you know that these beautiful flyers begin life as something
completely different? As they grow, they undergo an amazing
transformation - a process known as 'metamorphosis'.
Stage 1 - The egg
It all starts when a female butterfly lays her eggs, usually on
leaves or stems of plants. In these tiny eggs, caterpillars grow.
Stage 2 - The caterpillar
Once ready, the caterpillar leaves its egg home and enters the big
outside world! And these little critters have a big appetite - they
actually eat their way out of the egg and immediately start chomping on
the leaves of the host plant.
Stage 3 - The pupa
When fully grown, the caterpillar forms itself into a 'pupa' (or
chrysalis) - a kind of vessel in which the caterpillar changes into a
butterfly. And inside, the tissue, limbs and organs of the caterpillar
transform. The result? A wonderful winged butterfly!
Stage 4 - The butterfly
When the butterfly is ready to come out, the case around the pupa
splits open. But it's not time for take off just yet, as the wings are
at first wet, soft and wrinkled against its body. The butterfly waits
for its wings to dry, and pumps a liquid called hemolymph into them so
that they become big and strong. Once fit for flight, this brilliant bug
then takes to the air in search of flowers to feed on. |