What is a life cycle?

A life cycle is the sequence of changes a plant or animal goes through from the start of its life until it produces the next generation. A butterfly's life cycle goes from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly, then begins again.

Examples

• Butterfly: egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly.
• Frog: egg (spawn) to tadpole to froglet to frog.
• Plant: seed to seedling to adult plant to seeds.

Quick facts

• A life cycle repeats: each new adult can start the cycle again.
• The frog and butterfly life cycles include a big change in body shape, called metamorphosis.