Knowledge

The Ovum (Egg)

The butterfly's fascinating life cycle begins with a tiny egg, or ovum. The size of pinholes, the eggs are usually laid singly, or in clusters, on a particular part of a plant, either on young leaves or on flower buds, and sometimes in crevices on the plant bark. Most often, though, these eggs are laid under the leaves.

At the top of the egg is a slight depression with a microscopic opening called a micropyle. Food is stored inside the egg in the form of a yolk, which is slowly consumed as a young caterpillar develops within the egg. It usually takes between three to eight days for an egg to hatch - and a caterpillar to emerge - depending on the species of butterfly.

Butterfly eggs vary in color and size. They may be spherical, cylindrical or flash-shaped, and when laid, may vary in color from white or cream, to green, pink, brown or red. Some species lay their eggs singly, while other lay theirs in clusters or in masses.

The Larva (Caterpillar)

A butterfly egg turns darker as the time of hatching approaches, and the butterfly's life cycle enters the caterpillar - or larva - stage. For a caterpillar to hatch, it must chew its way out of its egg, a very difficult task for such a tiny creature. The caterpillar's jaws must gnaw open a circular hole in the eggshell large enough for its head to pass through. Once it emerges, however, a caterpillar usually eats the empty eggshell, before it searches for more food.

After consuming the eggshell, the caterpillar then starts to eat young plant leaves. Caterpillars are very particular in their eating habits, though, and will usually feed only on a small number of closely-related plant species. If a suitable food plant is not available, the caterpillar will most likely starve itself to death rather than eat an unfamiliar plant leaf.

The duration of the larva period varies according to the species of butterfly. Some may last for only two weeks, while other may take as long as one month or more. Most caterpillars will grow in size by as much as a thousand times during the larva stage, from the moment they hatch until they are ready to enter the chrysalis, or pupa, stage.

Butterfly caterpillars live in a very hostile environment, and often fall prey to the ignorance of man. When seeing a caterpillar in a potted plant or a tree, some people feel the urge to destroy them, and tend to regard these creatures as pests to be eliminated with insecticide sprays. A number of caterpillar species feed on grass or vines, or in trees. They do not become pests unless man himself destroys their habitat and disturbs the balance of nature. As part of the natural world, caterpillars also have many enemies in the wild. This is why they have adopted a large variety of protective devices to ensure their survival.

The Pupa (Chrysalis)

The chrysalis, or pupa, stage is the third stage in a butterfly's life cycle. It is actually a non-feeding period that begins when a caterpillar suspends itself upside down from the underside of a leaf or from a leaf stem or plant branch, and forms a chrysalis around itself. Inside the chrysalis, a marvelous change takes place: the caterpillar, which started out as a rather ugly creature, transforms itself into a butterfly, a fragile creature that brings a delicate beauty to the environment. Some caterpillars may spend as little as five days inside a chrysalis, while other species can remain in theirs for as long as one month.

The chrysalis itself, though, is very much at risk, because apart from being able to wiggle, it cannot flee from its attackers. For most butterflies in the pupa stage, their best hope of survival is to adapt their shape and color to their surroundings - camouflage.

The Transformation: From Caterpillar to Pupa

After many days of marathon feeding, the caterpillar selects a suitable site to build its chrysalis (or pupa), securing itself within this cocoon made of silken thread and its own body secretions. As it starts to pupate, the caterpillar begins to wiggle out of its old skin and weaves the chrysalis. Once completely formed, the chrysalis hardens with exposure to the open air. Inside the pupa, the body of the caterpillar breaks down, special cells take over, and the adult butterfly is gradually formed.

Normally, adult butterflies emerge from their pupa in the morning. It usually takes them an average of five minutes to reach full size. In due time, their wings harden, and then they are ready to fly and mate. Adult butterflies do not spend whole days in flight, and do not often fly at the same time. To avoid being eaten by predators, many species camouflage themselves well.

The Imago (Adult Butterfly)

The final stage in the butterfly's saga is one of the most remarkable events in the world of nature. The adult butterfly - or imago - emerges from its chrysalis, spreads its colored wings, and takes flight. Adult butterflies have an average life span of approximately two weeks, although a few species may survive for at least a month. During this stage in its life cycle, the adult butterfly's role is to mate and reproduce. They often seek out new areas to live in, and many are capable of travelling long distances in search of abundant food plants.

Courtship

Soon after emerging from its chrysalis, the adult butterfly is ready for mating, although some species may delay this ritual for a few days. For many species, the striking colors and various hues of their wings are meant to attract butterflies of the opposite sex. Most butterflies have complicated courtship rituals. Aside from performing elaborate courtship flights and "dances" they often secrete chemicals called pheromones to attract their mates.

Mating

When a female shows interest in a male butterfly, both alight on a plant. The female then holds her wings in a partially spread position, allowing the male to land easily alongside her and to continue spreading his scent. The mating pair will often top each other with their antennae, for detecting each other's scents will stimulate activity at close range. Mating may last for about thirty minutes, or even for several hours for certain species.

Laying Eggs

Female butterflies lay their eggs on specific food plants, which are carefully evaluated based on the butterfly's touch, smell, taste and sight. Most female butterflies can lay between two to four hundred eggs in their lifetime.

Feeding

Adult butterflies acquire nourishment from fluids such as flower nectar, rotting fruits, soil moisture, animal excrement, and others. They use their long, tube-like mouthpart - called a proboscis - to suck liquids.