Difference Between Life Cycle of Butterfly and Cockroach

The key difference between life cycle of butterfly and cockroach is that the life cycle of butterfly consists of four stages; that are the egg, pupa, larva and adult, while the life cycle of cockroach consists of three stages; that are the egg, nymph, and adult.

Different species show different life cycles. The stages of the life cycle mainly depend on the type of species. Most life cycles start with the egg and end up with the adult organism. Both butterfly and cockroach life cycles too start with eggs and end in the adult stage; however, the intermediate stages in these two life cycles are different.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Life Cycle of Butterfly 
3. What is Life Cycle of Cockroach
4. Similarities Between Life Cycle of Butterfly and Cockroach
5. Side by Side Comparison – Life Cycle of Butterfly vs Cockroach in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is the Life Cycle of Butterfly?

The life cycle of butterfly consists of four different stages that include all development levels, which finally result in an adult butterfly. This lifecycle has four stages including egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The time period for completion of the life cycle is roughly around 3 – 4 weeks.

This cycle starts with eggs. The female adult butterfly lays eggs on leaves once mating and copulation are completed. These eggs firmly attach to leaves by a glue-like substance. Size and shape of eggs vary depending on the species. Larval stage or caterpillar stage is the second stage. The caterpillars are hatched from the eggs.  The caterpillars roam for food and grow simultaneously. Then they develop into a pupa (chrysalis stage) due to the action of hormones. In this stage, the caterpillar resides inside a cocoon attached to the leaf using a silk-like substance. Caterpillars secrete enzymes, which degrade most of its tissues. This degradation helps the pupa to become an adult.

The life cycle of butterflies is an example of complete metamorphosis, i.e., a type of insect development whose egg, larva, pupal, and adult stages differ greatly in morphology.

What is Life Cycle of Cockroach?

The life cycle of cockroach consists of three stages, which starts from an egg and ends with an adult cockroach. Since this life cycle is a development where gradual changes occur in the insect during the development from egg to the adult, it is an example of incomplete metamorphosis.

The three stages are egg, nymph, and adult. The life cycle initiates with the onset of egg production. The female adult cockroaches produce eggs roughly 10-40 eggs at a time. The eggs are covered by ootheca. Before the eggs are hatched, they are kept in a secure location or inside the mother.

Nymphs emerge from hatched eggs. The development of the nymph takes place with the shedding of skin. This occurs multiple times until the cockroaches reach adulthood. This process is referred to as molting. Adult cockroaches are soft-bodied insects. The nymphs change to adults in few weeks (2-3).

What are the Similarities Between Life Cycle of Butterfly and Cockroach?

• Life cycles of butterfly and cockroach start with the egg.
• Both life cycles end with an adult organism.
• In both life cycles, the female adult organism lays eggs.
• Enzymes are involved with both life cycles.

What is the Difference Between Life Cycle of Butterfly and Cockroach?

Life Cycle of Butterfly vs Cockroach
The life cycle of butterfly consists of four different stages which include all development levels that finally results in an adult butterfly	The life cycle of cockroach is a three-stage process that starts from an egg and ends with an adult cockroach.
Number of Stages
Four stages	Three stages
Stages
Egg, pupa, larva and adult	Egg, nymph, and adult
Metamorphosis
An example of complete metamorphosis	An example of incomplete metamorphosis
Duration
3-4 weeks	2-3 weeks
Number of Eggs Laid
Female adult butterfly lays 10-40 eggs per cycle.	Egg number is not specific

Summary – Life Cycle of Butterfly vs Cockroach

The life cycle of a butterfly consists of four stages; that are the eggs, larva, pupa, and adult. The life cycle of a cockroach consists of three stages; that are the eggs, nymph, and adult. Egg and adult stages are common to both cycles. Depending on the type of species, the life cycle of the butterfly varies. However, different varieties of cockroaches have a more common cycle. This is the difference between life cycle of butterfly and cockroach.

Reference:

1.“Cockroach Life Cycle: Cockroaches at Egg, Nymph & Adult Stages.” Home, Available here.
2.Shiwnarain, Mohendra. “Life Cycle Of A Butterfly: Stages Of Life – Science Trends.” Science Trends, 12 Apr. 2018, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Butterfly Life Cycle” (CC0) via Public Domain Pictures
2. “Cockroach egglaying 2” By Toby Hudson – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia