The Lifecycle of the Butterfly and other interesting information Compiled By Travis
Stage 1-egg The first stage of a butterflies` complete metamorphisis is the egg. Usally hundreds, sometimes thousands of eggs get laid at a time in this stage. Eggs get laid usally in places that predators will not likely find them, but usually very few make survival. The plant they are laid on usally becomes one of the first foods.
Stage 2-larva The second stage of a butterflies` complete morphisis is larva.It hatches from the second stage, the egg. It takes many buffets and sometimes doubles it`s weight and molts/sheds a good 5-6 sometimes 7 times.
Stage 3-pupa The third stage of a butterflies` complete metamorphisis is the pupal stage. Some look like leaves but stonger winds push them. It shreds some of the larval organs and grows new adult organs. Meanwhile, the pupa is hanging in a very quiet place. The time of it is usally winter and may last for weeks or months! The organs that usally get made into the legs and wings of a butterfly. The larva, to change into a pupa, has to *ccckkk* split down its back and …..there! It’s a pupa !
Stage 4- adult The final stage of a complete metamorphisis is adult. It pollenates from each flower. It can finally (after all these days) walk upside down ! When hatching, it pumps extra fluid in its wings to help find weak spots in the chrisalis/cocoon. An adult butterfly lives from few days- 10 months!
Bug City-Butterflies and Moths (A Video that I watched) New info I learned is: The only reason for butterflies to have pretty colors is for mating and identification. Nectar is the absolute perfect food for butterflies. Only male monarch butterflies have scent sacs that produce pheremones. Butterflies’ tongues can curl *snap* just like that! The first thing a newly hatched larva does is spin silk to keep it from falling off its leaf.
In ancient Greece the word psyce meant both soul and butterfly. Ancient greeks believed that humans morphed into butterflies. Butterflies are sometimes carved on tombstones. Scales help a butterfly fly because they trap air like a birds wings. Butterflies` eggs are smaller than a grain of rice. Hormones control all things that happen in the chrysalis stage. Some butterflies feed on fruit. Eyewitness Butterfly and Moth (Another Video I watched)
Magic School Bus-Butterflies (Video) New info: Worldwide, there are more moths than butterflies Butterflies live from a couple days- 2 moths!!
Butterflies and the Environment People have been killing butterflies by: Picking plants Crushing milkweeds Cutting down oak trees
Milwaukee Butterfly Exhibit The picture on the right is a Morpho butterfly that is sitting on my head.
A Cocoon that I found at my sister`s soccer game (left) Milwaukee Public Museum’s Exhibt-Blue Morpho butterfly (right)
The Julia butterfly on mom(left) and Mira (right)