1. Life Cycle Of A Butterfly
Jackie Lane

2. The first stage A butterfly starts off as a little egg.
Depending on the type of butterfly, the egg could be round or oval shaped, or could be ribbed.
The eggs are usually laid on leaves of a plant. They can lay many eggs on one plant leaf.

3. The second stage The second stage is called the larva.
Larva is another name for caterpillar.
Butterflies are caterpillars before they become a butterfly.
In this stage they eat the leaf they were born onto, because when they were laid on the leaf, the mother puts them on they type of leaf that they can eat. This is important because when they first hatch from the egg, they are still small and can’t go far to another leaf.
They need to eat plenty so they can grow.
As they grown they shed their skin, because their skin will not stretch or grow with their bodies. This is called molting.

4. Third stage The third stage is called the pupa.
Once the caterpillar has reached it’s healthy, full length and weight then it goes to this stage called the pupa also known as the chrysalis.
During the pupa stage the caterpillar will hang upside down by a twig on a leaf from a tree usually. They hang from something called a silk pad that is attached to the twig and the caterpillar.
As time passes, the pupa becomes protected by a silk cocoon. Inside the cocoon is the caterpillar changing into the butterfly.
This process may take several weeks, or months. (It depends on the species).
Inside there are cells that grown rapidly preparing to become a butterfly.
They begin to grow the parts of an adult butterfly, like the wings, eyes, legs, etc.

5. Final stage
Once the caterpillar has done all the changing and growing inside the pupa, then a butterfly emerges.
Once the butterfly emerges, it first has to rest for a minute because it’s wings are still at it’s side from being inside the pupa.
While resting, blood starts to pump though the wings and then the butterfly is able to flap their wings and fly!
It may take up to 3 to 4 hours for the butterfly to be able to really fly. They need practice. (Like practicing to ride a bike)
Once they can fly, they begin to look for a mate to reproduce. And the life cycle begins all over again.

6. Key Terms
Larva – The active immature(young) form of an insect. The second stage of the butterfly.
Pupa – An insect that is in the growing stage of development before changing to an adult. This is the third stage of the caterpillar. Also known as chrysalis.
Reproduction – The process that produces new babies, animals, plants, or insects.
In this case, when the butterfly produces new eggs to make new caterpillars. (starting the cycle all over).