Butterfly Life Cycle on a Branch, a Science-Friendly Insects Page
Coloring guide
On a leafy branch, a smiling caterpillar creeps along while a happy butterfly with patterned wings perches nearby, and a chrysalis hangs below the branch between them. The page shows the whole butterfly life cycle in one scene, starting with a tiny cluster of eggs at the left end of the branch. Large leaves fill the branch, and at the bottom there are grass tufts, two daisy-style flowers and rounded bushes on a gentle hill. It's a handy free printable for a classroom science lesson or a quiet afternoon at home. Bright lime green for the caterpillar, soft jade for the chrysalis, and orange and yellow for the big wings work well, and the circles along the wing edges are perfect for polka dots in contrasting colors. Looking for more? Our Frog and Crab coloring pages pair nicely with this Insects page.
A gentle color plan to get started — mix in your own anytime.
- leaf green
- bright lime green
- rose pink
- lilac purple
- bubblegum pink
- dark green
- golden yellow
- yellow green
- grass green
- dusty rose
- sky blue
- tangerine orange
A suggested order, zone by zone — skip around as you like.
- 1Color the large leaves and the small leaves on the branch with leaf green, leaving the background space white.
- 2Fill the caterpillar body and chrysalis with bright lime green, adding grass green on the caterpillar's middle segments and yellow green on the yellow segments.
- 3Color the butterfly's wings with rose pink and bubblegum pink, add lilac purple on the inner wing sections and a few sky blue touches at the top corners.
- 4Paint the butterfly body and head golden yellow, with tangerine orange on the lower body, and keep the small dots on the wings white.
- 5Color the flower petals with bubblegum pink and the grass and flower stems with dark green and grass green.
- 6Optional: Add a few darker strokes on the leaves and chrysalis for a little shading.
More Insects Coloring Pages
Ladybug Sitting Happily on a Big Green Leaf for Insects Fans
Insects Page: Butterfly with a Big Smile on a Daisy
Zooming Bee and Sunflower, a Free Insects Printable
Caterpillar Poking Out of an Apple, Cute Insects Coloring
Dragonfly Over the Pond: Printable Insects Scene
Ant Team Lifting a Giant Strawberry (Insects Coloring Sheet)
Ladybug Hitching a Ride on a Snail, Garden Insects Page
Butterflies Fluttering Above a Spring Garden, Detailed Insects Page
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