LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY: MAIN CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY - 2025

The life cycle of a butterfly has several stages: first they are eggs, then a larva called a caterpillar, then they develop into a chrysalis or pupa, and finally into a winged adult. This radical change is known as metamorphosis.

Butterflies are insects of the order of Lepidoptera, a word that comes from two Greek words: λεπίς, which means "scale"; and ptero, which means "wing."

Lepidoptera are those insects that have four wings, arranged in two pairs, covered with tiny scales and trunk-shaped mouthparts.

One of the characteristics of the Lepidoptera, and consequently of the butterflies, is that they undergo several complete transformations.

Once a male butterfly chooses a female for the colors and patterns of her wings and for the pheromones she produces, the two mate. Thus begins the life cycle of a group of new butterflies.

The 4 phases in the life cycle of a butterfly

Phase 1: eggs

The female lays hundreds of eggs after mating. This ensures that at least a few survive.

The female can group them, leave them separate or drop them in flight. Sometimes he will place them on the plant that will serve as food for the caterpillars that will be born.

There are tens of thousands of species of butterflies and each has its breeding season during the year.

For this reason, there can be butterflies at any time, but they are more common in spring and in times of plant growth. The egg phase lasts between four and five days.

Phase 2: larvae

After that time, the larva hatches the egg and goes out into the world in a first transformation.

Upon emerging, the larva or caterpillar devours the egg to feed and reserve energy for the other changes to come.

Caterpillars have neither eyes nor wings. In reality its physical appearance is totally different from the adult butterfly.

In this phase its main activity is to feed on the plant where it was born. Its objective is to grow and become stronger, since it is born very small and can grow up to a hundred times its original size.

Even the caterpillar itself changes its skin five or six times, so even though it is a larva it goes through micro transformations.

Before each change of skin, it stops its feeding. Then it leaves its old skin and forms a new, larger one. The caterpillar phase lasts from one to three weeks.

Phase 3: chrysalis, pupa or nymph

At the end of its days as a caterpillar, it hangs down and produces long threads in its salivary glands, with which it wraps itself.

The threads solidify on contact with air, thus forming a cocoon around the caterpillar.

Inside the chrysalis, the butterfly continues to transform. In this period it does not feed.

This phase can last a few days, weeks or all winter, depending on the species of butterfly.

Phase 4: adult butterfly

After this time, the butterfly breaks the pupa and comes out of it, transformed into the winged insect that everyone identifies as a butterfly.

The adult insect that has completed the entire transformation process is known as an imago. From that moment on, the butterfly is ready to start a new reproductive cycle.

References

1. Butterfly Life Cycle. (2017). Drexel University - Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Natural History Museum in Philadelphia. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from ansp.org
2. Life cycle of butterflies. (2017). Butterflies Wiki. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from butterflies.wiki
3. The life cycle of butterflies »MARIPOSAPEDIA. (2017). Mariposapedia.com. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from mariposapedia.com
4. The Butterfly Life Cycle! - National Geographic Kids. (2017). National Geographic Kids. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from natgeokids.com
5. The Lifecycle of a Butterfly. (2017). Www3.canisius.edu. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from canisius.edu