GROWING UP 



125 



are adapted to taking nectar from flowers. But their 

 caterpillars, which are able to eat voraciously of the 

 leaves of early spring, can get a much more successful 

 and early start than the nectar-living adult could do. 

 Furthermore, the adults of all such forms, flies, butterflies, 

 beetles, etc., appear full grown. They could not grow 

 except by moulting all the complex outside covering and 



Figure 26. Stages in the life history of the Monarch butterfly. Above, at the 

 left, is shown a mass of eggs. These the mother usually attaches to the under side 

 of a leaf. From them the caterpillars hatch. At the right is shown the chrysalis 

 or cocoon stage into which the adult caterpillar is transformed. From this chrys- 

 alis the butterfly emerges. 



its organs. It is economy therefore for them to do their 

 growing during the larval stages when they are simpler, 

 and moulting is more easy. During this time they store 

 up food enough to provide for the metamorphosis and the 



