2-3 weeks
Metamorphosis is the series of developmental stages insects go through to become adults. Butterflies and moths have four stages of life: egg, larva (the caterpillar stage), pupa (the chrysalis phase in a butterfly's development), and adult. It takes a monarch butterfly just 28 to 38 days to complete its life cycle, with warmer temperatures generally being responsible for faster development. A Monarch caterpillar can eat enough Milkweed in one day to equal its own body weight. Just 9 to 14 days after hatching from its eggs, a caterpillar will be about 2 long and fully grown. A caterpillar has eight pair of legs (three pair of true legs on its thorax and five pair of prolegs on its abdomen). A monarch caterpillar sheds its skin five times during the larval stage Summary. Butterflies go through a life cycle. There are four stages. The first stage is the eggs. This is where a girl butterfly lays eggs. She lays them on a leaf. The second stage is the caterpillar. This is where the eggs hatch. It takes about five days for the eggs to hatch. A caterpillar then comes out. The Lifecycle of a Butterfly. Butterflies go through a life cycle. A butterfly has four stages in its life cycle. Each stage is different. Each stage also has a different goal. A butterfly becoming an adult is called metamorphosis. The life cycle process can take a month to year. Monarch butterfly eggs are somewhat difficult to find in the wild. Since it only takes 3-5 days for eggs to hatch, timing is crucial. The best sign is to watch for adult Monarchs stopping at milkweed plants. A female will usually lay only one egg per milkweed plant to ensure enough food for each larva. If your pupa has been very dark for over 48 hours, it is probably dead. Allow the newly emerged adult plenty of time to inflate its wings and for the wings to dry before handling (3-4 hours). To hold a butterfly, always hold all 4 wings at once in their vertical position. On average, it takes between 4 and 10 days for a butterfly egg to hatch into a caterpillar. During that time, the egg must be tended to and kept in a regulated environment. While caring for butterfly eggs is not difficult, there are a few steps that need to be taken in order to ensure a successful hatching.  Butterflies do not care for their young at all. After the eggs are laid the butterfly either leaves or most die afterwards. The eggs hatch into caterpillars and the caterpilla … rs in turn eat the leaf on which they hatched, and continue to feed on the plant. Until the time they build a cocoon then do through complete metamorphosis and become a butterfly. Best Answer: There are four stages in the lifecycle of the Painted Lady Butterfly. The Egg (3-5 days) Adult female butterflies lay their eggs on plants that Painted Lady caterpillars like to eat, like thistle. The eggs are the size of a pin head, each one containing a caterpillar beginning to grow. The Butterfly Emerges! (2-3 weeks) When the butterfly first emerges from the chrysalis, its wings are soft and crumpled. The tired butterfly rests, and then slowly unfolds its wings to dry. After a few hours, the butterfly will be ready to fly. The Painted Lady Butterfly has a 2-week life span If you have hatched both male and female butterflies, chances are they will mate and lay eggs if you do not release them within the recommended time. Insect Lore recommends that you release your butterflies within a week after emergence. Your butterflies would likely lay too many eggs for you to take care of. Like all insects, butterflies are cold-blooded. On cooler days, butterflies must warm their flight muscles in a sunny spot before they can fly. If a butterfly has to sit still for long, it may be vulnerable to a predator. Butterflies go through a life cycle. There are four stages. The first stage is the eggs. This is where a girl butterfly lays eggs. She lays them on a leaf. The second stage is the caterpillar. This is where the eggs hatch. It takes about five days for the eggs to hatch. The Lifecycle of a Butterfly. Butterflies go through a life cycle. A butterfly has four stages in its life cycle. Each stage is different. Each stage also has a different goal. A butterfly becoming an adult is called metamorphosis. The life cycle process can take a month to year.
http://www.butterflybushes.com/monarch_metamorphosis.htm http://www3.canisius.edu/~grandem/butterflylifecycle/The_Lifecycle_of_a_Butterfly_print.html http://www.monarchwatch.org/rear/index.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_7608090_care-butterfly-eggs.html http://www.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_care_for_a_butterfly_after_hatch https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120114084823AAYOPJ7 http://www.insectlore.com/butterfly-questions.html/ http://www3.canisius.edu/~grandem/butterflylifecycle/The_Lifecycle_of_a_Butterfly_print.html
how long does it take a butterfly to fly after hatching