Monarch
These photos, all taken within a single week, capture the earliest stages of the monarch butterfly's remarkable life cycle. A monarch spends up to five days in the egg stage, tucked inside a tiny, dumpling-shaped egg, before emerging as a caterpillar. Its very first meal is its own nutrient-rich eggshell, giving the tiny caterpillar an important boost of energy. Picture Credit: Claudia Rickles
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