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The Egg
Adult female butterflies lay their eggs on plants that Painted Lady caterpillars like to eat -
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The Caterpillar Comes out!
The hungry caterpillar uses its strong jaws to munch through leaves, eating constantly and growing quickly -
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Metamorphosis Begins
The caterpillar finds a safe place to rest. With a silk thread that comes out of a hole just below its mouth (spinneret), the caterpillar spins a silk pad to attach to. The caterpillar hangs from this pad -
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The Butterfly Emerges!
When the butterfly first emerges from the chrysalis, its wings are soft and crumpled. The tired butterfly rests, and then slowly unfolds its wings to dry. After a few hours, the butterfly will be ready to fly.