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Egg
The monarch butterfly usually lays a single egg on a plant, often on the bottom of a leaf near the top of the plant. -
Larva (Caterpillar)
This is the growing stage. They begin by eating their eggshell and continuing to eat off the plant where they were laid. When the caterpillar becomes too big for it's skin, it sheds its skin. The caterpiller will usually shed its skin five times. -
Pupa (Chrysalis)
During this stage, the transformation from larva to adult is completed. They are much less mobile than larvae or adults, but they often exhibit sudden movements if they are disturbed. They are well-camouflaged during this stage since they have no way to defend against predators. -
Adult
The primary job of the adult butterfly is to make more butterflies! No growth occurs in the adult stage. They feed off of nectar from flowers. They aren't picky about which flowers their nectar comes from. They use their vision to find flowers, but once they land on a potential food source, they use taste receptors on their feet to find the nectar.
