Images
© Dianne Faucette

 

Butterflies go through four life cycle stages--egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult. Most butterflies survive in the wild only two weeks on average. They lay their eggs on host plants, which are eaten by the caterpillars. The adult butterflies feed from different plants that provide nectar. 


Female Gulf Fritillary just laid her egg
on the leaf of a Passionflower vine


Maturing egg of Gulf Fritillary butterfly


Spicebush Swallowtail at Honey Horn


Gulf Fritillary at Honey Horn's butterfly enclosure


Spicebush Swallowtail
caterpillar


Spicebush Swallowtail
chrysalis

Watch a Monarch caterpillar pupating:
ARKive video - Monarch butterfly larva pupating


Monarch Butterfly

 Watch a Monarch come out of the chrysalis:
ARKive video - Monarch butterfly emerging from pupa

Monarchs had just emerged from chrysalis
Monarch caterpillar
Monarch chrysalis

Host plants 
Butterfly Host Plant
Cloudless Sulphur Cassia, Senna
Gulf Fritillary Passionflower
Monarch Milkweed

 


Zebra Longwing