nzButterfly.info > The Lifecycle of a Butterfly
The Lifecycle of a Butterfly
Like other insects, butterflies have 4 lifestages,
the egg (ovum), caterpillar (larva), pupae (chrysalis) & adult (imago).
:::: Ovum (Egg) ::::
The ovum is laid in a secure place & left to hatch.
A White Butterfly egg is pictured.
:::: Larva (Caterpillar) ::::
The larva is very small upon hatching & most will eat the egg shell as their first meal. The
larva is an eating machine & spends most of it's time eating & growing. As a caterpillar
grows it needs to shed its skin when it gets too tight, most species do this 4 or 5 times until
the final moult, which is when the larva changes into a pupae. Each stage between moults is called
an instar.
A Yellow Admiral caterpillar is pictured.
:::: Pupa (Chrysalis) ::::
The pupa is the metamorphosis time when the larva changes into the imago or adult butterfly.
A Red Admiral pupa is pictured.
:::: Imago (Adult) ::::
The imago spends most of it's time on reproduction & foraging for safe places to lay eggs,
occasionally taking time out for a nectar feed at a flower. So the cycle begins again.
A male Boulder Copper adult is pictured.
Hibernation. In New Zealand all species hibernate for the winter. The lifestage varies on species, but for those that hibernate as imagos, they will wake for a winter feed on the warmer days, known as a quiescence. So grow some winter flowers & expect to see Monarchs, Red & Yellow Admirals on winter flowers. The Yellow Admiral is also known to overwinter as a larvae & slowly munch away on warmer days.
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