The eggs of butterflies are very small and they come in many shapes and sizes. Some are coloured and some are clear. Some look smooth like pearls, but others look bumpy and spiky.
Some types of butterfly eggs hatch after only a few days, while others may take months.
 

Common Brown (1)	Azure species	Icilius Hairstreak	Shouldered Brown
Fiery Jewel	Common Brown (2)	Forest Xenica	Common Xenica
Aust. Painted  Lady	Yellow Spot Jewel	Dull Copper	Imperial White

These enlarged images of the eggs of some Australian butterflies were taken by R.P. Field and M. & P. Coupar and were obtained from the Victorian Butterfly Image Database. (Information below)
http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/bioinformatics/butter/

Butterfly Photographs from Museum Victoria

Common Name of Butterfly	Photographer
Australian Painted Lady	R.P. Field
Azure Species butterfly	R.P. Field
Common Brown (Photograph 1)	R.P. Field
Common Xenica	R.P. Field
Dull Copper	R.P. Field
Fiery Jewel	R.P. Field
Forest Xenica	R.P. Field
Icilius Hairstreak	R.P. Field
Shouldered Brown	R.P. Field
Yellow Spot Jewel	R.P. Field
Imperial White	M. & P. Coupar
Common Brown (Photograph 2)	M. & P. Coupar

© 2000 Jackie Miers

December 2004