Butterfly Life Cycle

We watched this video to learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. We learned that:

• butterflies lay their eggs on leaves
• after a while, the egg hatches and a very small caterpillar comes out
• the caterpillar nibbles on their egg for nutrients
• the caterpillar spends all day eating, eating, then eating some more
• they like to eat leaves
• as it grows, it grows new skin and sheds the old one
• eventually, when it is big and plump, it sheds its skin for a final time and surrounds itself with a chrysalis
• it is called a pupa while it's in the chrysalis
• the pupa turns into a butterfly
• the process is called metamorphisis
• the butterfly hatches out of the chrysalis and pumps fluid into its wings
• the butterfly flies away and feeds on nectar
• eventually, it will lay eggs of its own

We were amazed at the complete change that happened in the pupal stage. Where did all the legs go? How did the body change shape so completely? Where did the wings come from? How did it grow and change while it was so squished up in the chrysalis?

Love from The Smarties and Mrs N