I hope this isn't too broad a question, but I'm hoping to make a character design based off glasswing butterflies, both adult and larvae (caterpillar? I'm sorry I'm unsure what the right term is oavsisbs) but I can't seem to find proper photos for reference explaining the cycle of one. Again, I hope it's not too general a question but could you please perhaps (with photos if possible no pressure of course! I'll understand) explain (rather briefly if you prefer) the cycle of a glasswing butterfly? If you need me to be specific as I'm unsure if glasswing butterfly is a broad term I will try to be in my next ask if necessary / allowed :} (I hope your day is going well ^^)
No, not too broad at all!
Firstly, "larva" is a broad term for a lot of pre-metamorphosis bugs. So yes, you can definitely call a caterpillar a larva. But "caterpillar" is also correct for any moth or butterfly larva. Larvae is the plural of larva.
All butterflies, glasswings included, have four life stages: egg, larva (or caterpillar), pupa (or chrysalis), and adult. The pupal stage in butterflies is called a chrysalis. So the adult mates and lays eggs, the eggs hatch into caterpillars, and the caterpillars eat and eat and eat and get bigger by molting a handful of times. Eventually they molt into a chrysalis, which is usually attached to foliage. Inside the chrysalis, they slowly turn into an adult butterfly, and eventually emerge to go mate and start the cycle all over.
Glasswing is a common name that refers to a bunch of different species, but most commonly I think it applies to the genus Greta, so hopefully that's what you mean? Here's an adult Greta morgane which is one of the most common glasswings:
Most of the species in Greta look pretty similar. There are some photos of different species here. Here's a good page with photos of the caterpillars, chrysalides, and adults.
If this isn't the species you mean, then go ahead and IM me and I'll direct you to photos of the species you were actually referring to!
