Host Plants The plant the caterpillar eats once it hatches. Each species of butterfly has its own host plant or plants--some restricted to one species of plant, others to a range of plant species.- Nectar Plant The plant the adult butterfly derives its food or source of protein from.
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- Micropyles Tiny funnel shaped openings at one end of the egg which allow the sperm to enter and fertilize the egg.
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- Chorion The hard, ridged outer layer of the egg shell. The chorion is lined with a thin coating of wax, which prevents the egg from drying out before it’s fully developed.
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- Diapause Where the eggs' development is halted and remains in the latent condition. Eggs laid close to winter go through a diapause stage and hatching takes place in the spring.
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- Pheromone A chemical that is produced and secreted, nfluencing the behavior and development of other members of the same species.