Metamorphosis

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Metamorphosis

• The Life Cycle of the Butterfly

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From Egg to Butterfly
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Egg

• The Butterfly lays it eggs on plants.
• The eggs are green and shaped like an oval.
• They are about 1 mm large.

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Caterpillar or Larva

• This is the main eating and growth stage.
• The caterpillar stays near the plant where it was
  hatched, eating mostly leaves.
• The caterpillar will eat until it outgrows its
  skin and then it will shed its skin and form a
  new one.
• The caterpillar will do this 4-6 times, which is
  about once a week.

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Chrysalis or Pupa

• This is the transformation stage where the
  caterpillar turns into a pupa and then into an
  adult.
• The caterpillar crawls to a safe place and hangs
  upside down.
• In about 24 hours the skin splits. Under this is
  the chrysalis, which hardens.
• The Butterfly stays in this state from 7 to 10
  days.

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Adult or Butterfly

• When the chrysalis splits a butterfly is released
• Air is then pumped into the wings, filling them
  with blood and unfolding them.
• The wings dry and harden within the first day.
• And finally you have a beautiful flying
  butterfly.

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Fun Websites to Visit

• Butterflies at the field museum
• Scientists Online Butterflies
• All About Butterflies - What is a Butterfly?

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Presented By

• Elyssa Toubail