The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
By Robin Roberts Second Grade
NCSCS Science Objectives:
1.01 Describe the life cycle of animals including: birth, developing into an adult, reproducing, aging and death.
1.03 Observe the different stages of an insect’s life cycle.
Essential Question:
How do butterflies change as they grow?
Little Butterflies
Beautiful, little butterflies Flying all around, Sailing through gardens Without a sound, Fly, little butterflies Around the flowers bright, Sipping sweet nectar Such butterfly delight! Quiet wings of color I could watch you all day. Fly, little butterfly I know you can’t stay. Spread your wings For your garden flight. Then rest, little butterfly All through the night.
Butterflies are one of the most beautiful insects on earth. They fly quietly and gracefully from flower to flower drinking nectar. They are beautiful to watch!
Have you ever wondered where butterflies come from? Baby butterflies do not look like their parents. They change in four growth stages. These four stages make up the life cycle of a butterfly. What are these stages and what happens during each one? 1. 2. ? 3. ? 4. ?
?
Let’s take a look at each stage in the life cycle of a butterfly.
Stage 1: The Egg
A female butterfly lays an egg on a plant. She lays the egg safely on the underside of a leaf. The tiny egg hatches in about five days.
Stage 2: The Caterpillar
The egg hatches and out comes the larva, or caterpillar. At first, the caterpillar is so small it can hardly be seen.
The caterpillar is very hungry. It eats and eats. As it eats, the caterpillar grows and grows. It grows so large, the skin splits and is shed. A new skin in underneath.
The hungry caterpillar eats, grows, and sheds its skin four or five times! The caterpillar is much larger and is ready for a change.
Stage 3: The Chrysallis
When the caterpillar is fully grown, it makes a silky patch on a leaf or twig. Then it attaches itself to the patch. The caterpillar’s skin splits one more time. It begins to form a hard outer shell called a chrysallis.
The caterpillar rests safely inside the chrysallis.
The chrysallis stage lasts 10 to 14 days. In the beginning, the chyrsallis is a milky green color. Over time, it becomes clear, or transparent.
During this stage, changes occur inside the chrysallis. Wings, legs, and a body are formed. The caterpillar is changed into a butterfly!
Stage 4: The Adult
The chrysallis splits open and a butterfly emerges.
At first, the new butterfly can’t fly because its wings are too wet. It sits and waits until its wings are dry.
Now the adult butterfly is ready to spread its wings and fly away. A new butterfly has been created!
Life Cycle of the Butterfly
egg
butterfly
caterpillar
chrysalis
Can you put each stage in the butterfly’s life cycle in order?
1.
4.
2.
3.
Birth of a Butterfly
Tune: “Hush Little Baby”
Mama butterfly lays all her eggs, Out pops a caterpillar, crawling on its legs. The caterpillar first is rather thin, But then it eats till it bursts through its skin. After growing nice and big, The caterpillar climbs on a leaf or twig. It makes a chrysalis and hangs inside. The chrysalis cracks and the parts divide. Inside the chrysalis change was going on. The form of the caterpillar now is gone. The chrysalis opens, what comes out? A beautiful butterfly fluttering about!