Butterfly Life Cycle

Butterflies have a life cycle consisting of 4 stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult.

EGG - The egg generally is about the size of a pin head.  The eggs can be found either on the underside or top of its' host plants leaf.  As the egg matures, which takes between 3-5 days, it will darken and you can see the caterpillar inside.

The caterpillar will start moving inside the egg and chew its' way out of the egg.  It will continue to eat part of the empty egg shell.  This provides nutrients for the newly hatched larva until it moves onto the host leaf where it will start to feed.

Larva (caterpillar) - The larva will continue to feed on it's host plants leaves for approximately 10 days.  During this time it will shed it skin 5 times.  As the larva grows its' skin becomes too small and it dries out and the larva simply crawls out of it.

At the end of this stage, the larva will spin a button of silk with its' mouth.  When the larva is finished it will crawl directly over it.  At this point it will shoot its' cremaster into the button of silk.  Once it is secure the larva will let go of the branch and drop down into the "J" position.

"J" Position - The "J" position is the last small stage before the larva goes into it pupa.  It is during this short stage that the larva will split its' skin and quickly start twisting and turning until it ends up in it's pupa (chrysalis).

Pupa (Chrysalis) - Once in the pupa stage it will take approximately another 10 days for the butterfly to develop and emerge as an adult butterfly.

Adult Butterfly - Once the butterfly has hatched from its' pupa it will cling to the pupa shell.  It will start to pump up its' wings with the fluid that is now in its abdomen.  This only takes a short time.  Once the wings are fully extended the butterfly's wings will take about an hour to dry. 

After that is done, the butterfly will be able to fly.  It will take approximately 1-3 days until the butterfly will be able to mate and then the cycle will continue on.  In most cases, it takes approximately 30 days from time the egg has been laid until a butterfly hatches.

This whole process is called Metamorphosis.

For more information on Metamorphosis, CLICK on the following links:

Photos of a butterflys' life cycle

Printable page a Painted Lady Butterflys' Life Cycle