This enjoyable and inventive exercise helps youngsters visualise a Butterfly’s Life Cycle by encouraging them to consider edible gadgets to symbolize every stage of the cycle.
This exercise can be nice for youthful youngsters to learn alongside The Very Hungry Caterpillar, too!
Do not forget I’ve heaps extra kitchen science experiments to strive when you get pleasure from this one!
The Butterfly Life Cycle
The life cycle of a butterfly has 4 phases, every lasting anyplace between one month and a complete yr!
Stage 1 – Butterfly Egg
The primary stage is the egg. Butterfly eggs are very small and spherical or oval. Should you look fastidiously, you may even see a teeny tiny caterpillar rising inside them! The precise form of the egg will depend on the kind of butterfly inside. Butterfly eggs are laid on leaves.
Stage 2 – Caterpillar ( Larva )
We name butterfly larvae caterpillars. Caterpillars hatch from the tiny eggs in stage 1. Caterpillars largely eat!
Do you know that mom butterflies lay their eggs on a sort of leaf their caterpillars wish to eat? It’s because caterpillars can’t simply journey to discover a supply of meals they like.
The pores and skin of a caterpillar would not develop with the caterpillar, so that they shed their pores and skin a number of occasions as they develop.
The caterpillars you may see beneath are from an Insect Lore Butterfly World set. I’d 100% advocate shopping for one. Releasing the grownup butterflies into the world was wonderful, and the entire course of was fascinating to observe.

Stage 3 – Chrysalis ( Pupa )
As soon as the caterpillar is absolutely grown, it varieties a pupa or chrysalis round itself. Contained in the chrysalis, a metamorphosis known as metamorphosis happens.
Stage 4 – Butterfly
As soon as the method of metamorphosis is full, the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis!
Feminine grownup butterflies reproduce and lay eggs on leaves, prepared for the life cycle to start out once more.
Egg – Caterpillar – Chrysalis – Butterfly

The right way to make an edible butterfly life cycle
What you’ll want
Marshmallows, yoghurt raisins, eggs
Candy Caterpillars, spring onion – caterpillars – you might use two totally different sizes right here to indicate how the caterpillar grows.
Liquorice, lengthy marshmallows, physalis – chrysalis.
Pasta bows, orange segments – butterfly
Use a paper plate or use my FREE printable life cycle.

Directions for Butterfly Life Cycle
Have a look at all of the gadgets you may have out there and discover the perfect match for every life cycle stage.
Place the gadgets within the right order on a paper plate and add arrows to indicate the course of change.
Ask a pal if they’ll inform what every stage represents.
Caterpillars usually shed their pores and skin and eat a number of leaves. Are you able to add these phases to your life cycle?
Extension concepts
Strive utilizing fruit and greens to make a butterfly life cycle mannequin.

Create an edible life cycle for a frog or ant.
Butterfly wings are symmetrical; observe drawing a symmetrical butterfly.
Extra Science for Children
Discover out what dinosaurs ate by making dino poop!
Make a flowering vegetation cycle plate!
Science ideas
Metamorphosis
Lifecycles
Appropriate for Key Stage 2 Science
Residing Issues and Their Habitats
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Final Up to date on Could 19, 2025 by Emma Vanstone

