Butterflies do not live long, sometimes only a few days or weeks. They have many natural enemies and form an important part of many food chains.  The life cycle of a butterfly incorporates four separate stages: egg, caterpillar (larva) pupa (chrysalis) and adults.  This type of life cycle involves a total body transformation, a process known as complete metamorphosis.  A tiny caterpillar hatches from the egg.  As it grows, it moults several times before pupating. During pupation, the caterpillar's body is reorganised and transformed into a butterfly. After the butterfly emerges, mating takes place and the life cycle is completed when fertilised egs are laid.   The entire period from egg to adult varies considerably and can range from just a few weeks up to two days.

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The brilliant
Ulysses Butterfly
(Papilio ulysses joesa)
seen in north-eastern
Queensland from Cape
York to the vicinity of
the Atherton Tablelands.

Common Red-eye
Chaetocneme beata)
found in coastal eastern
Australia from Cairns to
Woolloongong in NSW

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Meadow argus
(Junonia villida calybye)
which occurs
throughout Australia.

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the red
Lacewing
(Cethosia cydippe chrysippe)
found in N.E. Qld,
from Cape York to
Townsville

a shining purple
butterfly the
Dull Oakblue
(Arhopala centaurus
centaurus) seen near
mangroves or around
rainforest trees in central
NT and Queensland

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