Life Cycle of Butterflies

      This morning i saw a dead butterfly on the street. It looked so pretty,still so beautiful, when I found it. So I took it, and put near the flowers in the park. Because I wanted to take its picture.

A beautiful butterfly

     Then I continued to walk, and I met a pupa. It's metamorphosis from caterpillar, then pupa, before finally become a beautiful butterfly. I remember that I got this lesson when I was in primary school. But now,oh well, I have totally forgotten about it. So this will be my topic for tonight, life cycle of butterflies.

transformation from caterpillar into pupa

`     As advanced insects, butterflies 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.

1. The egg ( 3-4 days ) is a tiny, round, oval, or cylindrical object, usually with fine ribs and other microscopic structures. The female attaches the eggs to the leaves, or stems, usually near the intended caterpillar food.
2. The Caterpillar or larva ( 10-14 days )  is the long, worm-like stage of the butterfly.It often has an interesting pattern or stripes, and 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.
3. The Chrysalis or pupa ( 10-14 days )  is the transformation stage within which the caterpillar tissues are broken down and the adult insect's structures are formed.
4. The adult or imago ( 2-5 weeks ) is colorful butterfly usually seen. It is the reproductive and mobile stage for the species. The adults undergo courtship, mating and egg- laying. The adult butterfly is also the stage that migrates or colonizes new habit.