Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)    

The Painted Lady is one of the butterflies (like the Red Admiral) who migrates in spring and autumn. After a short hibernation in the south (Mediterranean) they arrive in The Netherlands in May and stays till October. The new generation will fly to the south when temperatures become low. This wide-ranging migratory butterfly can be found in area's with wild flowers. The larval foodplants are thistles.
For photos of the other stages please link to my 'regular' page about the Painted Lady (Butterfly Gallery -> Nymphalidae).

Sequence 1: Transformation from caterpillar into chrysalis (metamorphosis)

Sequence 2: Tranformation from chrysalis into butterfly (metamorphosis)

Sequence 3: Tranformation from chrysalis into butterfly (metamorphosis)

Sequence 4: Tranformation from chrysalis into butterfly (metamorphosis)