A butterfly house can mean very different things. It may be a large tropical conservatory filled with free-flying butterflies, a mesh enclosure used for observing caterpillars, or the small wooden butterfly houses commonly sold for backyard gardens. Public butterfly houses give visitors an opportunity to see butterflies up close, learn about their life cycle, and … Read more
Butterfly eggs are the first stage of the butterfly life cycle. Although they’re easy to overlook, these tiny structures contain developing caterpillars that will eventually hatch, feed, grow, form chrysalises, and become adult butterflies. Female butterflies don’t simply place their eggs anywhere. Many species carefully select particular host plants that their caterpillars will be able … Read more
A butterfly cocoon is a phrase many people use for the protective-looking stage between a caterpillar and an adult butterfly. However, there’s an important distinction: butterflies generally form a chrysalis, or pupa, rather than spinning the silk cocoon commonly associated with many moths. Inside the chrysalis, the developing butterfly undergoes remarkable biological changes. Some larval … Read more
A butterfly habitat provides much more than colorful flowers. To support butterflies throughout their entire life cycle, a habitat needs resources for both adults and caterpillars, along with places where butterflies can rest, shelter, and complete their development. One of the most important differences is between nectar plants and host plants. Adult butterflies visit flowers … Read more