Metamorphosis in butterflies typically occurs in four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (butterfly).
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Egg: Female butterflies lay eggs on host plants.
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Larva (Caterpillar): The egg hatches into a caterpillar that feeds on plant leaves to grow.
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Pupa (Chrysalis): The caterpillar forms a protective casing around itself called a chrysalis, inside which it undergoes metamorphosis.
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Adult (Butterfly): After a period of time, the adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis with fully developed wings and reproductive organs.
This transformation from one stage to another is driven by hormonal changes and genetic programming unique to each species of butterfly.