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The Monarch Butterfly

Life Cycle

When the caterpillar is 10 days old, it looks for a place to rest.

Then the caterpillar crawls under a leaf and hangs upside down.

Next the caterpillar becomes a chrysalis, where inside nature takes its course and it is turning the caterpillar into something new.

About 2 weeks later, you can see what is inside the chrysalis.

It pushes and pushes until the chrysalis splits.

Look now you can see a beautiful Monarch butterfly.

The butterfly only has six legs now, but it has grown brand new wings. At first they are wet and crumpled, but then slowly the butterfly stretches them out.

The egg is a tiny round, oval or cylindrical object. The female attaches the egg to leaves near where the caterpillar can get food when it comes out of the egg.

The caterpillar (or larva) is the long worm-like stage of the butterfly. It has a pattern of black, yellow and white stripes. It is the feeding and growth stage. As it grows, it sheds its skin three or more times so it can enclose its rapidly growing body. The Monarch munches on milk weed leaves as it gets bigger and bigger.

The chrysalis (or pupa) is the stage within which the caterpillar changes into a butterfly. It takes 10 - 14 days for this stage.

When it is ready, the adult butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis. This is the stage within which the butterfly will mate, lay eggs and fly to where it is warm. Butterflies like nectar from flowers. They taste with their feet!

To find out more about butterflies click here.