Explore the life cycles of butterflies, frogs and plants from beginning to end.
Every living thing goes through a life cycle — a series of stages from birth (or germination) to reproduction and death. Different animals have very different life cycles. Mammals, including humans, are born live and develop gradually: baby → child → adult → old age. Some insects, like butterflies and beetles, undergo complete metamorphosis — a dramatic four-stage change: egg, larva (e.g. caterpillar), pupa (e.g. chrysalis), and adult. Other insects, like grasshoppers, undergo incomplete metamorphosis with just three stages: egg, nymph (a smaller version of the adult), and adult. Frogs have a fascinating aquatic cycle: egg (frogspawn) → tadpole → froglet → frog. Plants also have life cycles: a seed germinates, the seedling grows into a mature plant, which flowers, produces seeds, and the cycle begins again. Understanding life cycles helps us understand reproduction, adaptation and the interconnectedness of all living things.