The process by which a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly is called metamorphosis. This remarkable life cycle consists of four distinct stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (butterfly). After hatching from an egg, the caterpillar undergoes rapid growth, feeding on leaves and storing energy. Once fully grown, it enters the pupal stage, during which it forms a protective chrysalis around itself. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar undergoes a complex transformation, reorganizing its cells and developing into a butterfly. After a few weeks, the adult butterfly emerges, ready to take flight and begin the cycle anew.