![]() ![]() This thin outer shell has a pattern of lines which mark the position of the future butterfly proboscis, first and second pair of legs, and two antennae. One can see the outline of the beginning wings through the somewhat transparent outer shell. The thin outer chrysalis layer contains cells which later develop into the wings of the butterfly. This heart pulsates at about 40 to 60 beats per minute. In the center portion of the gold crown area is a red heart, about 0.1 inches in diameter, surrounded by a yellowish substance. ![]() The inside portion of the chrysalis, below the gold crown, turns to a jade green liquid within the first 16 hours, as the caterpillar's stomach, intestines, and most all of the other internal parts disintegrate. The caterpillar enters the chrysalis stage without vision, because the head capsule was discarded with its six simple eyes, so it can now only distinguish light from darkness. There are 12 metallic-like gold spots on the remaining parts of the chrysalis, all of which are necessary for the normal development of the butterfly. The chrysalis, at this point, is jade green, with about 24 metallic appearing gold spots (the gold crown) surrounding half of its upper abdomen. During this stage in its development, its 16 legs and head capsule (with 6 eye lenses) are shed in about 60 seconds, giving rise to a pupa, or chrysalis, about 1 inch long and about 0.4 inches in diameter. It then hangs head down in a J-shape position in a seemingly inactive stage for approximately 12 hours.Īt the end of this period in its cycle, the caterpillar begins to convulse in rhythmic jerks, breaking off its outer skin. At about two inches long, with yellow, white, and black stripes on its body, it stops eating and spins a white silk pad on a stiff object, attaching itself by its two rear prolegs to the silk pad. In about 20 days, the butterfly's weight has increased to 1.5 grams, or 2700 times its weight when it emerged from the egg. ![]() Rapid growth leads to four or five molts - the shedding of its external skin. The caterpillar usually eats more of its egg case, and then the milkweed leaf. It also has a mouth, stomach, and silk gland, among other parts characteristic of a full-grown caterpillar. Nine chocolate-colored rings encircle its grayish body it has a black head, three pairs of front true legs with claws, and five pairs of prolegs extending backwards, adding a unique and functional form to the body. After three to five days, this caterpillar eats a hole in the egg case and emerges onto the leaf surface.Īt this stage, the caterpillar is about 0.1 inch long and weighs about 0.55 milligrams. Inside the egg the caterpillar begins to develop, drawing upon the yolk material inside the egg for nutrition. Female butterflies begin the next cycle when one small, pin head sized, white egg is laid underneath the leaf of a milkweed plant - a plant which is poisonous to most creatures. The four developmental stages in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly are the egg, the caterpillar (larva), the pupa (chrysalis), and finally, the emergence of one of the most beautiful creatures on Earth, the butterfly. ![]()
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