Holometamorphosis; complete metamorphosis
Complete metamorphosis, also called Holometamorphosis, is when an insect goes through four different stages of life. They begin as an egg, hatch as larvae/caterpillar, then pupate, and emerge as an adult butterfly. The cycle varies from Hemimetamorphosis, in that the insect only goes through three stages, egg to larvae or nymph that mimics the adult in physical features, then pupates directly into their adult form.
The lifecycle of a butterfly begins when the adult lays eggs. After a determinant amount of time, the egg will hatch and the caterpillar begin to feed. The larvae will continue to grow and typically go through three to four separate molts before they are ready to build their cocoon.
During this time, the insect feeds with suctioning power and grinding of it's mandibula to build up proteins and sugars it will need to store during metamorphosis through the winter. The butterfly is a phytophagous insect which means it feeds on plants. Once the insect has completed it's last molt, it will find a secure place to spin a cocoon made of silk threads that are secreted by the mouth. As the cocoon comes to completion, the body of the caterpillar begins to change. The exoskeleton hardens and becomes a shell to allow for the changing of the body on the inside. Legs and wings are developed, antennae grow, a curled proboscis used for feeding replaces the mouth of the caterpillar. Come the spring, the adult is ready to emerge. They are able to break out of their cocoon and shell and enter the world transformed into a butterfly. Tentative at first, the new adult will uncurl and dry it's wings in the air, lifting them up and down to gain strength and mobility. Once they are ready for flight, the adult spends the rest of it's life feeding on nectar and locating a mate. Once a mate is found, the male deposits his sperm packet inside the female and she is able to lay her eggs. Depending on the species, they die within two weeks of mating or some stay alive for a couple months and continue to breed throughout this time.
Butterfly Defenses
Depending on the environment life cycles, life spans, food, and behavior of the young and adult will vary. Some larvae have smooth skin, some fuzzy, some hairy. The larvae are in a dangerous stage of life and can be easy pickings for predators. Defense mechanisms have developed within each species and some caterpillars may take on forms of mimicry where their coloration or surface area takes on the same characteristics as dangerous or poisonous insects. Fuzzy and hairy caterpillars will either grow the hair in tufts around the body or cover the entire surface. These appear soft at first glance but they are actually prickly or poisonous and may do potential harm to their predator. This form of defense to stay alive is form of natural selection and adaptation. Butterflies have also been known to change colors over time due to environmental changes or adapt to their surroundings and only land on plants or surfaces in which they may be camouflaged.