READING: The Life Cycle of Butterflies and Beetles

Butterflies.There are four separate stages in the life of a butterfly: 

The egg.The egg is a tiny, round or oval shape that gets attached by the female butterfly to a leaf,stem or other object.The egg is usually attached near the intended caterpillar food.

The caterpillar or larva.The caterpillar or larva is the long, worm -like state of the butterfly.It sometimes has an interesting pattern of stripes or patches.It might have  spine-like hairs.This is the feeding and the growth stage     of the butterfly.As the caterpillar grows,it sheds its skin    four or more times so it can enclose its rapidly growing body. 

The chrysalis or pupa.The chrysalis or pupa is the transformation stage.The caterpillar tissues are broken down to form the adult insect structures.Usually the chrysalis is brown or green color to blend

into the surroundings.Many times the chrysalis stage will remain this way over winter.

The adult or imago.The adult or imago is the colorful butterfly that you see throughout the warmer months of spring and summer.The adult stage is called the reproductive stage.These adults find their mates and lay more eggs.The adult stage also migrates or colonizes     new places to live. 

 

Beetles.The beetle has mouth parts to allow it to use a variety of solid foods in the environment.It has elytra    which protect the hind-wings and give the beetle help         in survival.Beetles undergo a change which is called “metamorphosis”.There are three stages before                     becoming an adult: 

The egg.The beetle larva hatches from the eggs                   in the female’s saclike structure after the eggs were              fertilized. 

The larva. The larva hatches and grows until its body          splits the skin.The larva crawls out of the old skin and      forms a new skin.This is called “molting”.Molting             occurs several times until the larva is mature.

The pupa.Wings develop and are seen in this stage. 

The adult.Within a month, the adult emerges from               the pupa and searches for prey.The beetle feeds                  on plants and other insects.Its wings are full-size                 and the outer skeleton is now hard.

EXERCISES:

a) Look for the correspondent word

life cycle ___________________________________

stages ___________________________________

oval___________________________________

transformation___________________________________

structures___________________________________

reproductive___________________________________

mates___________________________________

colonized___________________________________


b) Answer the following questions

 1.Select either the butterfly or the beetle and explain         its life cycle.Use all of the steps and the vocabulary associated with each stage in the life cycle from an              egg to an adult.

2.How is the life cycle of a butterfly and a beetle the              same? How are they different?

3.Why do you think the author used the word “life                cycle” in the title of this text and also within the text?