Life Stages of the Butterfly

Butterflies are wonderful insects having interesting color patterns on their wings. There are many types of butterflies, of which the most notable ones are Monarch, Viceroy, Blue morpho, Ulysses, the American painted lady and the Zebra swallowtail. It is because of their bright and attractive colors that many hobbyists are interested in watching the butterfly and having butterfly gardens. In an ecosystem, the adult butterflies act as pollinators (transfer pollen from one flower to another). However, some butterfly species are pathogens, causing certain diseases in crops.

Life Stages of the Butterfly

Butterfly belongs to the order Lepidoptera, which is characterized by their unusual life stages. Unlike other insects, a butterfly does not have a nymph stage. Instead an egg undergoes complete metamorphosis during a specific time period to develop into the colorful adult butterfly. The life cycle of a butterfly include four main stages viz. egg, larva, pupa and adult. Here is a brief about each of the life stages of a butterfly.

Egg Stage: After mating, the adult female butterfly lays eggs in clusters, that are oval or round in shape. The eggs are attached to the host plant with a special glue. Usually, the female butterfly lays about 100 eggs in her lifespan. The eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of a particular host plant (monophagous). Some butterfly species lay eggs on more than one type of plant (polyphagous). The egg consists of an outer hard covering, called the chorion. The chorion is lined by a wax coating to prevent the egg from drying out. Hatching of eggs into larvae may take place within a week, depending upon the temperature and the species. The eggs take a longer time to hatch in cold environmental conditions.

Larvae Stage: The eggs hatch into larvae or caterpillars that are long and worm-like. Once, the larva emerges from the egg, it starts feeding on the plant. This is the reason, why the female lays the eggs on a particular range of plants. Though majority of the butterfly larvae are herbivores, some butterfly species eat insects (entomophagous). Some species eat the egg shell. The larva can be considered as an eating machine; every time it is in search of food. The larvae possess true legs (thorax region) and prolegs (abdomen part) that assist them to grip the substrate. The larva undergoes four to six molting stages called instars; at the end of each instar, the larva molts and secretes a new cuticle. The wing pad is developed in the last instar. Larvae stage usually lasts for more than three weeks.

Pupa Stage: When the larva develops fully, it enters the pre-pupa stage (the larva searches for the pupation site) and proceeds to pupa or chrysalis stage (dormant stage). The pre-pupa secretes glue that attaches the pupa to a particular site like plant twigs. The pupa is usually camouflaged to protect it from predators. In the pupa stage, major changes of the body parts takes place. It is the stage in which the characteristics of the adult butterfly are developed. Hence, pupa is considered as a transformation stage. In a warm climate, the pupa stage lasts for only two weeks, whereas, it lasts for longer period in the winter season.

Adult Butterfly: Just before the pupa grows into an adult butterfly, the outer skin of the pupa becomes transparent. From the pupa, the colorful adult butterfly or moth emerges. Immediately after the butterfly emerges from the shell of the pupa, it is wet and soft. It hardens only after exposure to environmental conditions. The adult butterfly undergoes courtship, mating and egg-laying. The adult butterfly can survive for one week or as long as one year.

The life span of butterflies may vary, depending upon the type and the environmental condition. Some species may have a short life cycle, whereas others may have a comparatively longer life span.