Butterfly Life Cycle
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Butterflies are amazing insects! They change and grow in a very special way called a life cycle. Let us learn about the four stages of a butterfly's life!
What Is a Life Cycle?
A life cycle is the stages a living thing goes through from birth to adult. Every butterfly follows the same four stages!
The butterfly life cycle is called metamorphosis - a big word that means "change in form."
The Four Stages
A butterfly goes through these four stages:
- Egg - A tiny egg laid on a leaf
- Larva (Caterpillar) - A hungry caterpillar hatches and eats
- Pupa (Chrysalis) - The caterpillar forms a shell and changes inside
- Adult (Butterfly) - A beautiful butterfly comes out!
Stage 1: The Egg
A mother butterfly lays tiny eggs on leaves. The eggs are very small - some are no bigger than a pinhead!
She picks leaves her babies will like to eat when they hatch.
Stage 2: The Caterpillar
After about a week, a tiny caterpillar (also called a larva) hatches from the egg.
The caterpillar eats and eats! It grows bigger and bigger. It sheds its skin several times as it grows.
Stage 3: The Chrysalis
When the caterpillar is big enough, it forms a hard shell called a chrysalis (also called a pupa).
Inside the chrysalis, something amazing happens - the caterpillar's body completely changes into a butterfly!
Stage 4: The Adult Butterfly
After about 2 weeks, the chrysalis opens and a beautiful adult butterfly comes out!
The butterfly spreads its wings, lets them dry, and then flies away. It can now lay eggs and start the cycle again!
Worked Examples
Example 1: Ordering the Stages
Problem: Put these in order: Chrysalis, Egg, Butterfly, Caterpillar
Step 1: What comes first? The egg - every butterfly starts as an egg.
Step 2: What hatches from the egg? A caterpillar!
Step 3: What does the caterpillar become? A chrysalis!
Step 4: What comes out of the chrysalis? A butterfly!
Answer: Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, Butterfly
Example 2: Identifying a Stage
Problem: An insect is eating leaves all day and getting bigger. What stage is it in?
Think: Which stage eats a lot?
Answer: Caterpillar (Larva) Stage - Caterpillars eat constantly to grow!
Example 3: What Happens Next?
Problem: A caterpillar has stopped eating and attached itself to a branch. What will happen next?
Think: What stage comes after caterpillar?
Answer: It will form a chrysalis! Inside, it will change into a butterfly.
Example 4: Comparing Stages
Problem: How is a caterpillar different from a butterfly?
Caterpillar: Has many legs, crawls, eats leaves, has no wings
Butterfly: Has 6 legs, flies, drinks nectar, has colorful wings
They look completely different, but they are the same animal at different stages!
Example 5: Understanding the Cycle
Problem: Why is it called a "cycle"?
Think: What does cycle mean?
Answer: A cycle means something that repeats in a circle. When the adult butterfly lays eggs, the whole process starts over again! Egg leads to caterpillar, leads to chrysalis, leads to butterfly, which lays more eggs.
Practice Problems
Practice what you learned about butterfly life cycles!
Problem 1: What is the first stage of a butterfly's life cycle?
Show Answer
Egg - Every butterfly starts as a tiny egg.
Problem 2: What is another name for a caterpillar?
Show Answer
Larva - Scientists call caterpillars larvae.
Problem 3: What does the caterpillar do most of the time?
Show Answer
Eats - The caterpillar eats leaves to grow big and strong.
Problem 4: What is the hard shell called that a caterpillar forms?
Show Answer
Chrysalis (or pupa) - This is where the big change happens!
Problem 5: How many stages are in a butterfly life cycle?
Show Answer
4 stages - Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, and Butterfly.
Problem 6: Can a caterpillar fly?
Show Answer
No - Caterpillars do not have wings. They can only crawl.
Problem 7: What comes out of a chrysalis?
Show Answer
A butterfly - After changing inside the chrysalis, an adult butterfly emerges.
Problem 8: Where does a mother butterfly lay her eggs?
Show Answer
On leaves - She picks leaves her caterpillar babies will eat.
Problem 9: What is metamorphosis?
Show Answer
A big change in form - The butterfly completely changes its body from caterpillar to adult.
Problem 10: What stage comes right before the adult butterfly?
Show Answer
Chrysalis (Pupa) - The butterfly changes inside the chrysalis and then comes out.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1: What are the four stages of a butterfly's life cycle in order?
Show Answer
Egg, Caterpillar (Larva), Chrysalis (Pupa), Adult Butterfly
Question 2: What happens inside the chrysalis?
Show Answer
The caterpillar's body completely changes into a butterfly. This amazing change is called metamorphosis.
Question 3: Why does a caterpillar eat so much?
Show Answer
The caterpillar needs energy to grow bigger and to change into a butterfly. It stores energy for the time when it cannot eat inside the chrysalis.
Question 4: Why is the butterfly life cycle called a "cycle"?
Show Answer
It is called a cycle because it repeats over and over. When the adult butterfly lays eggs, the whole process starts again with new butterflies.
Next Steps
- Observe: Look for butterflies and caterpillars outside
- Draw: Make a diagram showing all four stages
- Next Lesson: Learn about plant life cycles!
- Challenge: Research what monarch butterflies eat as caterpillars