Animal Life Cycles
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Learning Objectives
- 1Sequence the stages of a butterfly life cycle
- 2Compare the life cycles of a butterfly and a frog
Mini Lesson
Animals also go through life cycles — a series of stages from birth to adulthood. Some animals change dramatically in form as they grow, a process called metamorphosis. The butterfly and the frog are two well-known examples of animals that undergo complete metamorphosis.
Butterfly Life Cycle
- Egg — a female butterfly lays eggs on leaves.
- Larva (caterpillar) — the egg hatches into a caterpillar that eats and grows.
- Pupa (chrysalis) — the caterpillar forms a protective case and transforms inside.
- Adult butterfly — emerges from the chrysalis, can fly, and lays new eggs.
Frog Life Cycle
- Frogspawn — the frog lays clusters of eggs in water.
- Tadpole — the eggs hatch into tadpoles that breathe with gills and live in water.
- Froglet — tadpoles grow legs and begin to develop lungs.
- Adult frog — can breathe air and move between land and water.
Both butterflies and frogs go through complete metamorphosis — four distinct stages. The key difference is that frogs start life fully in water and gradually move to land.
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