1. Life Cycle of a Butterfly

2. Stage 1: The Egg
The female butterfly lays an egg on a leaf or stem.

3. Stage 2: The Caterpillar
The caterpillar hatches from the eggs about 5 days later.
First the caterpillar eats his eggshell and then lots of leaves.
The caterpillar is also called the larva.

4. After a few weeks the caterpillar stops eating and growing and looks for a place to change.

5. Stage 3: The Pupa or Chrysalis
The caterpillar sheds its skin for the last time and becomes a pupa.
The pupa stays inside a hard shell called a chrysalis.
Inside the chrysalis, the pupa is changing his body.

6. Stage 4: The Butterfly
Out of the chrysalis comes a beautiful butterfly!
The butterfly looks for another butterfly to mate with.
After mating, the female butterfly lays her eggs. Adult butterflies usually live for only 2 weeks!

7. Butterfly Facts Butterflies can see red, green, and yellow.
Butterflies have four wings.
They have antennae that help them see.
Female butterflies are bigger than male butterflies.
A butterfly flies from flower to flower drinking nectar.