Butterfly adults or imagoes reproduce sexually, so a male sperm fuses with a
female egg at fertilisation to form a zygote. The zygote develops into the larva
which hatches out of the egg. Once the larva is fully developed it forms a pupa or
chrysalis Depending on the time of year the pupa is formed the insect may remain
in this state for several weeks or months. During this time, inside the pupa, the
larva undergoes metamorphosis, eventually emerging as an imago or adult