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Stage One: Egg
The monarch butterfly starts as an egg on the underside of a leaf. The mother attaches the egg to the leaf with a sticky quick drying substance much like glue. The egg will hatch in 3-5 days -
Stage Two: Larva
After hatching from the egg, the larva, also called the caterpillar, eats the shell from which it hatched. It must eat a lot to start it's transformation. When the larva is ready, they will find a branch to which they will begin the next stage towards becoming a butterfly. -
Stage Three: Pupa
The larva will attach to the branch by spinning silk. It's skin hardens and becomes a chrysalis. -
Stage 3: Chrysalis Transformation
It becomes clear as it is ready to emerge.This takes 8-15 days. -
Stage Four: Adult
The adult monarch butterfly will emerge damp from the cocoon. Blood supply runs through the wings allowing the butterfly to begin to fly. The monarch butterfly will begin the search for a mate. The female butterfly will become a mother and lay eggs to begin the life cycle again. -
Video Animation
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Period: to
Life Cycle
