 |
General Information Metamorphosis |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Egg | |
| |
Every butterfly starts its life as an egg.
Butterflies’ eggs are very small and mostly white, green or yellow. As the
animal inside develops, the color changes. There are a large variety of shapes
besides round and oval. Their surface mostly shows structures such as grooves,
net patterns and sometimes thorns. The size of butterfly eggs varies from
0.008 to 0.1 inches (0.2 to 3 mm), depending on the species.
Most butterflies stick their eggs directly on or under the leaf of a suitable plant. A female can lay up to 1500 eggs during her lifetime.
| The Caterpillar | |
| |
The time until the caterpillar will hatch can be 3 days up to a whole winter.
When it is ready to hatch, it bites a hole in the egg and comes out. Afterwards,
the rest of the egg is its first meal. Then it continues feeding to store energy
because as a pupa it won’t be able to eat any more. As they are nearly always
eating, caterpillars grow very fast. So they must cast their skin 4 to 5 times.
Some of them change their appearance with their skin.
Silk plays a big role in a caterpillar’s life as well. All caterpillars can produce silk, some of them a lot, others less. The silk thread helps the caterpillar to move on slippery surfaces. It is also a security rope if the caterpillar falls off the leaf. Additionally, it is used to cover the inside of "mines" in leafs and for protection.
Finally the caterpillar turns into a pupa. To do this it casts its skin for a last time. The appearing pupa is still soft and able to move but it hardens soon.
The period as a caterpillar varies from one month to three years, depending on the nourishment. Caterpillars who eat nutrient-low things like wood need more time to get the energy for the change into a butterfly.
| The Pupa | |
| |
In this stage great changes take place inside.
Hormones cause the change of the body into a butterfly’s one. The time needed
to do this depends on the species, it amounts at least one week or several
months if the pupa hibernates. It can take up to seven years. The time also
depends a lot from the climate.
Pupae of the different species look very different, some hang from a twig, others stand, held by a kind of belt.
The pupa cannot move and it is not able to feed.
| Imago (adult butterfly) | |
| |
When the development is finished, the pupa’s
skin breaks and an adult butterfly pulls out its body. Hanging on a twig it
pumps blood into the veins of its crumpled wings to expand them. Then it rests
for some time to give them time to harden. When the wings are hardened, it pulls
the blood out of the wings. After about one hour, the butterfly flies into a new
period of its life including propagating to form the circle of life.
The average lifetime of an adult butterfly is 2-4 weeks if the butterfly doesn’t rest for a season or another period.
