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Sing the butterfly ballad to learn the stages of a butterfly's life cycle.

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Gross Motor Development: Preschool Fun gross motor activity to get the wiggles out, while learning about the life cycle!

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My Little Yellow Room: Edible Butterfly Life Cycle

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Edible Butterfly Life Cycle--I'm going to use this idea rigiht away, except chrysalis is spelled incorrectly (that's the teacher in me making corrections!).

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Life cycle timelapse

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Time-lapse close up of Monarch caterpillar pupating and later the butterfly braking out of its chrysalis. Notice how the wings expand as the belly fluids are pumped into them. Save a Monarch, grow a Milkweed!

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Caterpillar hatching from egg

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Butterfly hatching timelapse

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Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, emerging time lapse. I think this his is a male butterfly emerging but some experts say it's female yet others say it's male. I've been advised that it's male because you can see the scent gland on its wing.

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The chrysalis stage

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Caterpillar to a butterfly

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Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle by HelenParkinson on deviantART

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Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

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Caterpillar eggs

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar life cycle

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In depth life cycle

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The larva enters the chrysalis

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The butterfly hatching from the chrysalis

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Parts of a butterfly life cycle

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Life Cycle of Butterflies and Moths

As advanced insects, butterflies and moths have a "complete" life cycle. This means that there are four separate stages, each of which looks completely different and serves a different purpose in the life of the insect.

This is the life cycle of the Monarch ( Danaus plexippus).

The egg is a tiny, round, oval, or cylindrical object, usually with fine ribs and other microscopic structures. The female attaches the egg to leaves, stems, or other objects, usually on or near the intended caterpillar food. (Note: photograph is a Snowberry Clearwing egg.)

The caterpillar (or larva) is the long, worm-like stage of the butterfly or moth. It often has an interesting pattern of stripes or patches, and it may have spine-like hairs. It is the feeding and growth stage. As it grows, it sheds its skin four or more times so as to enclose its rapidly growing body.

The chrysalis (or pupa) is the transformation stage within which the caterpillar tissues are broken down and the adult insect's structures are formed. The chrysalis of most species is brown or green and blends into the background. Many species overwinter in this stage.

The adult (or imago) is colorful butterfly or moth usually seen. It is the reproductive and mobile stage for the species. The adults undergo courtship, mating, and egg-laying. The adult butterfly or moth is also the stage that migrates or colonizes new habitats. The butterfly pictured here is a Monarch, which is fairly large in size. The Monarch's wingspan is 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches (8.6 - 12.4 cm).

Adult Anatomy

Page text © Paul Opler

Do you have a question about the life cycle?

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As advanced insects, butterflies and moths have a "complete" life cycle. This means that there are four separate stages, each of which looks completely different and serves a different purpose in the life of the insect. This is the life cycle of the Monarch ( Danaus plexippus).

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Egg - A butterfly starts its life as an egg.

Larva - The larva (caterpillar) hatches from an egg and eats leaves or flowers almost constantly.

Pupa - It turns into a pupa (chrysalis); this is a resting stage.

Butterfly- The caterpillar emerges from the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly