Metamorphosis

Butterflies

Butterflies lay eggs. Usually they will put the egg on a leaf. A small larva will emerge from the egg. The larva of a butterfly is called a caterpillar. It will start eating the leaf. During its life it will moult a few times. Each time it becomes bigger. Then it will become a pupa. This pupa may be hanging on the plant in a small loop of silk. And after a few days the pupa turns into a beautiful butterfly.

A butterfly develops in several steps.

• First an egg.
• Then several larval stages.
• Then a pupa.
• And finally the adult butterfly