Band 7.5 — Process: The Life Cycle of the Butterfly

The diagram illustrates the stages involved in the life cycle of the butterfly, from egg to fully grown adult insect.

Overall, the cycle consists of four main stages of development and is continuous, since each new adult lays the eggs from which the following generation grows.

The cycle begins when the adult female lays her eggs on the surface of a leaf. After a short period, a caterpillar hatches from each egg. During this second stage, the caterpillar feeds almost constantly on leaves and grows rapidly, shedding its skin several times as its body lengthens.

Once it reaches full size, the caterpillar attaches itself to a stem and forms a hard protective case around its body, known as a chrysalis. Inside this shell, its body is gradually transformed. In the final stage, the case splits open and an adult butterfly emerges. As soon as its wings have dried and strengthened, the new adult flies away and, in due course, lays eggs of its own, whereupon the entire cycle begins once more.