Butterflies change four times before they come adult butterflies. They have four lifecycle stages. In the example you're about to read, you will learn about the lifecycle of a butterfly.
First of all, an adult butterfly lays an egg. This is the beginning of the butterfly's life. Depending on whether it's hot or cold outside, the egg hatches in three to twelve days and becomes a caterpillar. This is the first eating and growing stage the butterfly goes through. The caterpillar eats plant leaves for about two weeks while it's growing. It usually grows to be about 5 or 6 centimeters long.
After that, the caterpillar looks as if it's wrapping itself up as it turns into a chrysalis. This is a resting stage in the butterfly's life. What actually happens is that the caterpillar attaches itself to a twig or thin branch. Then it loses the top layer of its skin. In a few hours, the caterpillar has turned into a chrysalis! The caterpillar is transforming itself into an adult butterfly.
Finally, after about two weeks, the adult butterfly come out of the chrysails. It need to wait a while before flying off because its wings are still wet from being inside the chrysails. They need a little time to dry out and be ready for flying.