Animals and Lifecycles - Lifecycle of a Butterfly Part 2
Pupa or chrysalis
The caterpillar holds on to the silky button with its front legs while the rest of its legs hold on to the branch.
Then it turns round slowly until its last pair of back legs are holding on to the button, and its head is where its tail was.
The back legs hold on to the silky button as the caterpillar slowly drops its head and body down.
It hangs upside down for about a day and then begins to shed its skin one last time.
Underneath is a soft green casing, called a pupa or chrysalis.
The old skin wrinkles and folds up like a scarf at the top of the chrysalis, taking with it the pairs of legs which won’t be needed by the butterfly. Three pairs of legs are left.
The old folded skin drops away and the soft chrysalis begins to harden.
Within an hour it’s a tough shell that protects the caterpillar inside. The caterpillar’s body changes again inside the chrysalis:
- Wings grow
- The mouth and jaw turn into a long tongue
- The three pairs of legs grow longer (butterflies have 6 legs)
- Two antennae grow.
The caterpillar is now a butterfly and the chrysalis begins to crack.
The butterfly slowly comes out, with its soft wings folded around its body.
The butterfly hangs on to the empty chrysalis while its body pumps blood into its wings.
About three hours later the butterfly is ready to fly and look for a mate.
The lifecycle can start again.
- Lifecycle of a frog (Amphibian)
- Lifecycle of a human being (Mammal)
- Lifecycle of butterfly (Arthropod)
- Lifecycle of a chicken (Bird)
- Quiz: What Am I?