The diagram illustrates the developmental stages that a butterfly passes through during its lifetime.
Overall, the process consists of four phases, beginning with adult butterflies mating and ending with an adult butterfly.
Initially, two adult butterflies mate and then the female butterfly lays eggs on a plant. At this stage, the eggs contain embryos inside them. An embryo is growing inside each egg. The embryos take around two to three weeks for their development. After this stage, the embryo develops into a caterpillar. During this stage, caterpillar grows by shedding its skin several times which takes about two months. When a caterpillar completes its skin-shedding process, it forms a pupa which requires nearly two hours.
Finally, the last stage of butterflies life cycle, pupal stage is known as metamorphosis occurs. During this stage, a pupa gradually transforms into an adult butterfly and this stage takes approximately two weeks and the life cycle begins again.