Butterflies Leaving the Cocoon

There are more than 115,000 different species of butterflies and moths in the world, according to the website Scholastic.com.. The beautiful, winged creates start off as tiny eggs, are born as caterpillars and emerge from a cocoon or chrysalis as butterflies. The life cycle of a butterfly includes four stages, but the third one when the insect leaves the cocoon is the one that involves the largest change. Aspects of this change still baffle scientists.

  1. Life Cycle

    • Butterflies and moths have a life cycle with four parts -- the egg, the larva, the pupa and adult butterfly. An adult butterfly will lay eggs on a leaf and then fly away. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillar emerges and turns into an eating machine. The caterpillar will eat its own egg shell then move onto the leaves, storing energy to build a cocoon or chrysalis. Once the caterpillar is ready, it will look for a good location to create its chrysalis or cocoon and begin to build it. The caterpillar will spin the chrysalis or cocoon around itself and stay inside for at least two weeks and up to the entire winter season, depending on the species. One the transformation inside the chrysalis or cocoon is complete, the adult butterfly will emerge.

    The Structure's Name

    • The structure that the caterpillar builds is called a cocoon or chrysalis, depending on the species of the caterpillar. In general, butterflies build a chrysalis and moths build a cocoon, but the two terms have become almost interchangeable with the general public. There is no structural difference between a chrysalis and a cocoon and there is no way to actually tell the difference between the two by just looking at a chrysalis or cocoon. You need to know the species of the caterpillar or the butterfly to be completely sure.

    Building the Coccon or Chrysalis

    • The caterpillar begins to build a chrysalis or cocoon when he is fully grown and has stored enough energy to make the transformation. The energy comes from eating leaves and other food. The caterpillar will look for a good location for its chrysalis or cocoon and will then hang head-down from the leaf or branch. The caterpillar will begin to spin fibers around itself until it is completely encased in the chrysalis or cocoon. The coloring of the cocoon or chrysalis will vary depending on the species.

    Emerging from the Cocoon or Chrysalis

    • The adult butterfly emerges from the cocoon or chrysalis after the transformation from caterpillar is complete. The timing of this event depends on the butterfly species, but ranges from two weeks to the entire winter season. The butterfly will come out of the cocoon or chrysalis when the structure turns a clear color and the butterfly inside is clearly visible. The butterfly will push downwards and out on the cocoon or chrysalis and the bottom of the structure will break open. The butterfly will slide out and hang onto the chrysalis or cocoon with its legs.

    Flying and Mating

    • The wings of the butterfly will be soft and folded up against the body at first. After resting for up to an hour, the butterfly will begin to pump blood into the wings so they can flap. After another two to three hours, the butterfly will begin flying. It normally takes one to two hours for the butterfly to master flying. Once that is complete, the animal will begin searching for a mate. The life span of butterflies and moths are fairly short and can range from just days to 11 months. According to Scholastic.com, the females will live longer than the males.