A Zebra Longwing Butterfly emerges from its chrysalis. The life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to butterfly, takes about three weeks. When a caterpillar hatches from an egg, it eats voraciously for several days, then pupates (forms a chrysalis). During the next two weeks, the chrysalis transforms into a butterfly. After the butterfly emerges, it expands its wings and dries off, then flies off to forage for food (flower nectar and pollen).