Explanation Writing – How Is a Butterfly Formed?
A butterfly is formed within a process of four stages and so here I will explain the four stages of how a butterfly is formed:
^Stage 1: Egg^
Eggs are laid on plants by female butterflies, these plants will then become food for the hatching caterpillars. Eggs can be laid in spring, summer or autumn, but it also depends on the species of butterfly. Females lay a lot of eggs at once so that at least some of the eggs survive, butterfly eggs can also be extremely small!
^Stage 2: Caterpillar (Feeding stage)^
The next stage is the larva, this is also known as the caterpillar if the insect is a butterfly or moth. The job of the caterpillar is to basically just eat. As the caterpillar grows it splits it’s skin and sheds it about 4 – 5 times. The food eaten at that time is stored and used later as an adult. Did you know caterpillars grow 100 times their size during this stage. For example, a monarch butterfly is around the size of the tip of a pencil and the caterpillar that hatches from this egg isn’t much bigger at all. But it will grow up to two inches within a few weeks.
^Stage 3: Pupa (The transition stage)^
When the caterpillar is fully grown and stops eating, it becomes a pupa. The pupa of butterflies is also known as a chrysalis. Depending on the species the pupa of many moths is protected inside a cocoon of silk. This stage can last from about a few weeks to a month or probably even longer! Some species even have a pupal stage that lasts for two years! It may look like nothing is going on in the picture but big changes are happening inside. Special cells that were present in the larva are now growing rapidly. They will become the legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the adult butterfly.
^Stage 4: Adult^
The adult stage is what most people think of when they think of butterflies. They look very different from the larva. The caterpillar has a few tiny eyes, short and thick legs and very short antennae. The adults have long legs & long antennae, They can also fly by using their large and colorful wings. The one thing they can’t do is grow. The caterpillar’s job was to eat. The adult’s job is to lay eggs. Some species of adult butterflies get energy by eating nectar from flowers but many species don’t eat at all!!! Flying comes in handy, the adult female can easily fly anywhere to find the right plant for its eggs. This is important because caterpillars can’t travel far. Most adult butterflies live for only one or two weeks, but some species hibernate during the winter and may live much longer for at least a few months!!
Now you know the four stages of a butterflies’ life cycle!
-Joanna
