Butterfly Life Cycle

How does the butterfly transition from an egg to an adult?

The butterfly life cycle consists of four stages of metamorphosis:

• Egg - A butterfly starts life as a very small, round, oval or cylindrical egg laid by a female on the leaf of a "host plant." A female butterfly typically lays up to 500 eggs, depending on species.

• Larva (caterpillar) - once the egg hatches, the larva eats the host plant on which it was placed. As the larva grows, they "molt" several times, becoming larger through each step, or "instar". 

• Pupa (chrysalis) - as the larva reaches its full size, it transforms itself into a sack in which it will make the final transformation into an adult. Depending on the species, this stage may last for several days, weeks or even months.

• Adult butterfly - emerges from the pupa after a number of days, and usually hangs upside down while its wings dry. When the wings are dried, the adult butterfly begins the hunt for a mate, and the life cycle repeats!

Life Cycle of Some Common Butterflies

Shown below are highlights of the life cycle of three common butterfly species: The Monarch, Gulf Fritillary and Eastern Black Swallowtail.

 

Gulf Fritillary Life Cycle: Stages and Timings Stage Duration Egg stage 4 to 8 days Caterpillar (larval) stage 2 to 3 weeks Chrysalis (pupal) stage 5 to 10 days Adult butterfly stage 2 to 4 weeks

Female Gulf Fritillary Butterfly hanging upside down on Passion Vine laying eggs

Growing Gulf Fritillary caterpillars on a Passion Vine

Gulf Fritillary caterpillar in the classic "J Position" preparing to enter its chrysalis

The end of the life cycle: an adult Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle Stage Typical Duration Egg stage Generally 4 to 6 days Caterpillar (larval) stage 2 to 3 weeks Chrysalis (pupal) stage 5 to 15 days Adult butterfly stage 2 to 5 weeks for the summer generations, but the over-wintering generation in Mexico can live several months

Monarch Butterfly caterpillars ... nearing maturity

Monarch caterpillar in the "J" Position"

Monarch Butterfly caterpillar in its chrysalis ... carefully blending with nature!

A beautiful new Monarch Butterfly ... minutes after eclosing from 10 days in its chrysalis

A lovely adult Monarch Butterfly!

Black Swallowtail Life Cycle: Overview and Timings Stage Typical Duration Egg stage Generally 4 to 10 days, depending on temperature and host plant Caterpillar (larval) stage 3 to 4 weeks Chrysalis (pupal) stage 10 to 20 days (except for overwintering pupae) Adult butterfly stage 6 to 14 days

Black Swallowtail caterpillar lunching on dill

Black Swallowtail chrysalis ... hanging by a silk thread

A Black Swallowtail butterfly ecloses from its chrysalis, on March 27, 2014, after overwintering