A Closer Look at Butterfly Eggs
Butterfly is an insect that goes through a complete metamorphosis, through four stages of the life cycle — egg, caterpillar (larva), pupa and adult. Each stage is distinctive from the others. Egg is the first stage of the life cycle. Most butterfly caterpillars eat only one or a few species of plants. Therefore, after mating, the female will search for suitable caterpillar food plants to lay eggs. Otherwise, after hatching the caterpillars might starve to death!
Different habits
Different butterfly species have different reproductive behaviours; some will lay one egg on each leaf, but some lay dozens, even hundreds, of eggs in the same place. Some butterflies lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves, to avoid direct sunlight and drying of the eggs, and can avoid rainwater washing away the eggs. Some prefer to lay eggs in large open areas, such as the topsides of leaves. These eggs often have white shells to reflect sunlight and reduce heat. Female butterflies sometimes lay eggs on plant stems, flowers, and even on fruit. During summer, when temperatures are high, the eggs will hatch in just a few days. However, during colder days, butterfly eggs take around two to three weeks to hatch.
Egg of Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus)
Egg of Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe)
Variations
Eggs range in diameter from 0.5 to 2 mm. Butterfly eggs of different species have different shapes. When you look closer at these tiny eggs, you may be surprised that the variation can be huge! Most of the eggs are white, yellow or green; some are orange or even black. Some are spherical, some are relatively flat, and some are slender like bullets. As to the surfaces of eggs: some are smooth, some have vertical or reticular patterns, some have ciliated coverings, and some have uneven surfaces full of pits, just like a golf ball. In addition to the protective colour of the egg itself, and the female laying eggs in hidden locations, some female Skippers stick their body hair on the eggs, to better protect them.
Egg of Great Mormon (Papilio memnon)
Eggs of Red-base Jezebel (Delias pasithoe)
Finding butterfly eggs
Butterfly lovers typically focus their attention on watching adult butterflies, which are larger and easier to see than butterfly eggs. As female butterflies often lay eggs on the caterpillar food plants, we can only find butterfly eggs on these plants. Prynne, Michelia maudiae and some plants from the genus Cassia are common caterpillar food plants that we can easily find in urban areas. We can also keep an eye on female butterflies that are ready to lay. They will always use their forelegs and antennae to identify the smell of plants, and then lay their eggs in suitable plants. If we see butterflies investigating different plants, it is likely that the females are looking for suitable plants for egg laying, so that after hatching the caterpillars will have sufficient food.
White Jade Orchid Tree
Banana Shrub