Butterflies are small, pretty insects. They have thin , black bodies and antennae. The biggest part of them are their wings. Monarch butterflies have orange and black wings.
First, an adult butterfly lays an egg. Adults can lay 700 eggs in a few weeks. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants.Then the egg hatches. The small caterpillar is called a pupa.
The larva eats everything in sight. Sometimes he sheds his skin. This is called moulting.
The larva becomes 27,000 times the size the weight he was when he hatched.
Once the caterpillar is very big, it curls up in the shape of a J. It moults and the old skin turns inside out, covering the larva. He is now in his coccoon, at the pupa stage.
The coccoon begins to become transparent. After 9-14 days, the coccoon splits and a butterfly comes out. The butterflies' wings are soggy so it pumps liquid into them. Then it lets them dry. Then it can fly away, and lay more eggs.
After the butterfly has laid all it's eggs, it dies. That is
the amazing life-cycle of a butterfly.
By Elena.
