The Life Cyle of a Butterfly… Mrs. Livingston & Mrs. Warburton’s 2 nd Grade Class Science
Our Friends the Butterflies…. A butterfly is a beautiful insect with wings that you can find flying around gardens. Where else have you seen butterflies? Backyard, Gardens, at the Park, etc. What time of year do you usually see butterflies? Spring Time
A butterfly grows in four stages of life. Butterflies, like you and me, go through many changes during their lives.
Stage 1: The Egg The tiny little egg is laid by the female butterfly Eggs are usually found on the under side of leaves Eggs hatch into something called Larva (Lar-vay) What stage of human life is like the egg stage?
The EGG
Stage 2: Larva The caterpillar hatches from the egg just like a baby chick. The caterpillar comes out. The caterpillar spends its time eating, growing and shedding its outer layer. It’s a lot like being a kid!
The Larva
Stage 2: Pupa The pupa (pyu-pa) is when the caterpillar is inside of a cocoon. This cocoon is called chrysalis (chris-a- lis). When the caterpillar is fully grown it makes a little silk pad on a leaf or twig and attaches itself to it. Inside the chrysalis many changes happen like the wings, legs and rest of the butterfly are formed. The caterpillar magically changes into an butterfly. This change is called metamorphosis (me-ta-mor-fo-sis).
The Pupa
Stage 4: Adult The chrysalis splits to allow the butterfly to come out. This is like the chick cracking the egg. The caterpillar now turns into a butterfly. Butterflies only live a short time. Do you know how the butterflies eat? Trick Question! Adults do not eat, they only sip liquids through a straw that is part of their body!!
The Adult
And now presenting the Butterfly!!! Butterflies have wings This is called the Monarch Butterfly They are always orange and black! Butterflies live to fly, mate and reproduce.
Questions: Do you remember? What do butterflies do? Where do they live? How do they eat? Can you remember what we discussed?
Egg LarvaPupa Adult
Help on the Life Cycle the Butterfly: Book: – “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle Web Quest: – Insert your WEBQUEST HERE!!
With an adult, go on your computer at home to the following website: – cts/butterfly/label/lifecycle/label.shtml Print out the worksheet, complete it and bring it in tomorrow!