Butterfly eggs are small.

Females lay eggs singly or in a group, called a cluster or a batch. There can be up to 200 eggs, depending on the species of butterfly.

Butterfly eggs have a hard, protective shell, called a chorion. It is coated with wax, which prevents the egg from drying or dehydrating.

Butterfly Eggs

Each butterfly egg has a number of tiny openings, called micropyles, which enable male sperm to enter to fertilize them.

Butterfly eggs stick to plant leaves due to a type of glue. Caterpillars hatch out of the eggs. The female choses the plant according to the type of plant that the caterpillar will eat.

The eggs hatch after a few weeks. For some butterflies that live in cool climates, the eggs may wait until the next season to hatch, depending on the temperature of the air. Butterfly eggs like to hatch in summer or warm temperatures.

Butterfly Eggs

Caterpillar

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM