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Fertilization
The adult female butterfly lays and egg which is fertilized by the male. The butterfly will lay the egg on a preffered host plant, the swan plant sometimes known as milkweed. -
The Monarch Butterfly Egg
The egg is laid on the swanplant. -
Egg Hatches
The egg hatches into a tiny catepillar also known as a larva. -
Caterpillar Grows
The caterpillar eats and grows a tremendous amount -
Pupa
Caterpillar attaches itself to a twig and froms a hard outer shell. Inside the chrysillis also known as a pupa the caterpillar changes into a vutterfly. It sometimes camoflagues itself to protect it from predators. -
Butterfly emerges
An adult butterfly emerges from the chrysillis. Monarch butterflies do not live for a long period of time. They cannot eat, only drink through their straw like Proboscis. They fly, mate and reproduce and the cycle begins again.
