Journal #20

Have you ever wondered how a tiny, lifeless egg could become a  picturesque, living butterfly?  The majority of people know the basics of the life cycle of a butterfly, it goes from a pudgy caterpillar into blossoming butterfly.  The process is called metamorphosis and to me, it is magnificent. 

"The first stage of a butterfly is the egg.
The second stage is the caterpillar, larva.
The third stage is the chrysalis, pupa.
The fourth stage is a beautiful butterfly" ("Sing").

This stanza states the four body-changing stages of metamorphosis.  It breaks down what we know into something more scientific.  We learn the names for the number and the exact stages of the development, that way we can stop saying it goes from a squishy caterpillar straight into a butterfly.  How does it become the winged creature?  I would say magic if I did not know the actual facts behind it.

"A butterfly has three main body parts.
They have a head, a thorax, and an abdomen.
A proboscis that drinks food from a straw.
Six legs, four wings, two antenna" ("Sing").

As we read this, it is almost like we are getting taught a lesson in science, going all the way back to our elementary and middle school days.  Sitting in those small, wooden desks with lids that lift up.  Ah I miss those days. In this we see a confusing word, "proboscis." A proboscis is "a protruding mouth parts of certain insects" ("Proboscis").  Amazingly enough, I had never seen this word before reading this, so I was able to enhance my vocabulary.

"Butterflies drink water and nectar.
Eating leaves when they’re growing as a caterpillar.
Spiders, ants, wasps are the predators.
Why? Because they like the taste of butterfly" ("Sing").

Now we know what butterflies eat and why caterpillars are so fat.  Caterpillars snack and snack on luscious, green leaves so that they can have enough food to live off of when they are in their hard, but cozy chrysalis.  This development and lifestyle of an angelic butterfly has many aspects and were able to be seen through this song.

"Proboscis." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.

"Sing. Dance. Learn." Sing Dance Learn RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.