The butterfly life cycle, or metamorphosis, consists of four distinct stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. The cycle begins with a female butterfly laying tiny eggs on host plants, which are specific to each butterfly species. From these eggs hatch caterpillars, voracious eaters that consume leaves and grow rapidly. The larval stage is followed by the formation of a pupa, or chrysalis, where the caterpillar undergoes a transformative process inside a protective casing. Finally, the adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, unfolding its wings and completing the cycle. This remarkable process symbolizes growth, transformation, and the beauty of nature, making butterflies not only pollinators but also captivating symbols of change and renewal.

Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran suborder Rhopalocera, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises the superfamilies Hedyloidea (moth-butterflies in the Americas) and Papilionoidea (all others). The oldest butterfly fossils have been dated to the Paleocene, about 56 million years ago, though they may have originated earlier.

Many populations of Lepidoptera butterflies moths)migrate ,sometimes long distances, to and from areas which are only suitable for
part of the year. Lepidopterans migrate on all continents except Antarctica, including from or within subtropical and tropical areas. By migrating, these species can avoid unfavorable circumstances, including weather, food shortage, or over-population. In some lepidopteran species, all individuals migrate; in others, only some
migrate.

Butterflies are often polymorphic, and many species make use of camouflage, mimicry, and aposematism to evade their predators.[1] Some, like the monarch and the painted lady, migrate over long distances. Many butterflies are attacked by parasites or parasitoids, including wasps, protozoans, flies, and other invertebrates, or are preyed upon by other organisms. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees; other species are agents of pollination of some plants. Larvae of a few butterflies (e.g., harvesters) eat harmful insects, and a few are predators of ants, while others live as mutualists in association with ants. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts. The Smithsonian Institution says "butterflies are certainly one of the most appealing creatures in nature".

Many butterflies, such as the painted lady, monarch, and several danaine migrate for long distances. These migrations take place over a number of generations and no single individual completes the whole trip. The eastern North American population of monarchs can travel thousands of miles south-west to overwintering sites in Mexico. There is a reverse migration in the spring. It has recently been shown that the British painted lady undertakes a 9,000-mile round trip in a series of steps by up to six successive generations, from tropical Africa to the Arctic Circle — almost double the length of the famous migrations undertaken by monarch.

Spectacular large-scale migrations associated with the monsoon are seen in peninsular India. Migrations have been studied in more recent times using wing tags and also using stable hydrogen isotopes.