The Life of a Butterfly

Butterflies have 4 stages of life

 • The Egg

• The Larva (Caterpillar) 

• The Chrysalis (Cocoon)

• The Butterfly

Once hatched, caterpillars usually live 2-5 weeks, before making a cocoon. 

The cocoon of a caterpillar is made of strands of silk, woven together.

Sometimes caterpillars include other materials, such as leaves, twigs or dirt.

This help to camouflage the caterpillar as it turns into butterfly and protects it from predators.

Once in the cocoon, butterflies stay inside there cocoon from 5-21 days.

Some caterpillars stay in there for up to three years if they are in harsh conditions like the desert, waiting for rain or good conditions. 

The longest lived butterflies live for 9 months to a year,

but the average lifespan for the majority of species is just 2-4 weeks.