How do butterflies change?
- The butterfly lays eggs on the leaf or near food for the caterpillar.
- In a few days, the larva (caterpillar) comes out of the eggs. The caterpillar looks like a worm with three pairs of real legs and many pairs of prolegs.
- The larva grows quickly and sheds its skin as it grows. The caterpillar eats its skin. During this time it eats and poops all the time.
- When the larva is full grown it attaches to something safe and forms a pupa (chrysalis). The pupa is usually green or brown. The caterpillar changes into a butterfly inside the pupa.
- In a week or two it turns into an adult butterfly.