The diagrams illustrate the life cycle of a butterfly.
Overall, this cycle involves eight cyclical steps divided into four stages, from the laying eggs process to the advent of mature butterflies. Each life cycle persists several months.
The first stage of the cycle is the laying eggs process. In this stage, the adult female butterfly stands on a plant’s leaf. After 2 to 3 weeks, one embryo is hatched from each egg, and that is the second stage of the cycle. At the third stage, the embryo grows into a caterpillar, increases its size and sheds its outer skin; this process spans about two months. Once the caterpillar is developed, a pupa is created by it within 2 hours.
The fourth stage of the cycle is the pupal stage, at which metamorphosis occurs. The catterpillar at this point continues to grow bigger and then develops into an adult butterfly. Subsequently, adult butterflies mate and the female ones lay eggs, continuing other life cycles.