1. Metamorphis: Life Cycle of Butterflies Mr. Hguyen Wednesday, June 15, 2011

2. Metamorphis Life Cycle of Butterflies Eggs are the first stage. They are tiny, sometimes microscopic. They are laid on the underside of host plant leaves. Hatching is predetermined by time eggs are laid.

3. Caterpillars The Feeding Stage Minute, some are virtually invisible to the naked eye. Coloration of caterpillar is quite diverse. The job of caterpillars is to eat, eat, eat. Caterpillars must shed skin several times, each shedding is called an instar. It can multiply in size of more than a thousand fold. When the final instar occurs, the pupa emerges.

4. Pupa The Transition Stage Transformation in pupa stage is miraculous. What emerges in no way resembles the caterpillar. There is complete disassembly of the cells and reassembling of cells into new form. The butterfly emerges from this stage.

5. Adult Butterfly The Reproductive Stage Upon emerging, the swollen body pumps fluid into tiny shrived up wings. Within a few hours, wings are fully sized, dried, and become more rigid. Butterflies are ready to take flight. The job of the adult is to mate and lay eggs. Most butterflies live only one or two weeks. All photographs courtesy of The Academy of Natural Sciences http://www.ansp.org/museum/butterflies/life_cycle.php