Transcript Document

Metamorphosis
By Janet Dlugosz PTTL 2003
From Egg to Butterfly
THE EGGS
The Painted Lady lays it eggs on plants. The
eggs are green and shaped like an oval. They
are about 1 mm large.
THE LARVA
The larva or caterpillar is a very big eater. It
stays near the plant where it was hatched,
eating mostly leaves. This stage takes about 4
weeks.
THE PUPA OR CHRYSALIS
The caterpillar crawls to a safe place and
hangs upside down from a branch or leaf. The
larvae spins thread and attaches its tail to its
resting place. In about 24 hours the skin
splits down the back. Under this is
the chrysalis,which hardens and
becomes a golden color. The
Painted Lady stays in this state
from 7 to 10 days.
THE BUTTERFLY
When the chrysalis splits and releases the
butterfly, air is pumped into the wings, filling
them with blood and unfolding them. They
need enough space for the butterfly wings to
do this. The wings dry and harden within the
first day. Veins on the wings give them
strength.
Anatomy
The Life Cycle
of a
Painted Lady
Butterfly
Fun Facts
 Male painted ladies have smaller abdomens than
females.
 Butterflies are diurnal (active during the day).
 Favorite butterfly flowers = aster, cosmos, thistle,
and buttonbush.
 Favorite caterpillar plants = thistle, mallow,
hollyhock, malva, and sunflower.
 Painted Lady Butterflies see more patterns, a
wider range of color, and more shades of green
than people do.
 The tiny scales attached to butterfly wings give
the wings their color.
 Butterflies have taste sensors on their legs.
As the Indian Legend Goes…
If anyone desires a wish to come true they must
first capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it.
Since a butterfly can make no sound, the butterfly
cannot reveal the wish to anyone but the Great Spirit
who hears and sees all. In gratitude for giving the
beautiful butterfly its freedom, the Great Spirit
always grants the wish. So, according to legend,
by making a wish and giving the butterfly its freedom,
the wish will be taken to the heavens and be granted.
The End…
And the Beginning