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A red pierrot checks if a Kalanchoe leaf might be a suitable place to lay her eggs
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A caterpillar begins to eat its way out of its egg
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Red pierrot caterpillars are leaf borers, so this one has to munch its way inside its home
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The caterpillar feeds and excretes its waste inside the leaf, until there is no tissue left between the layers. Then it comes out, to enter another leaf or pupate
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A fully grown caterpillar, posing for a peek-a-boo portrait, looks for a suitable place to pupate
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Caterpillars usually pupate on the underside of leaves
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However some prefer smooth surfaces, such as this iron window grille
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The adult emerges from the pupa on the window grille, and dries its wings before its maiden flight
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One of the newly emerged butterflies is greeted by the sounds of Mumbai, kite whistles and cawing crows
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The empty pupal case, with some drops of the butterfly’s body fluid still inside
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A butterfly emerges from a pot
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After emerging from its pupa and drying its wings, an adult red pierrot walks around the Kalanchoe pinnata plant before taking off
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