The egg hatches after about 2-3 days and the caterpillar emerged shows a white color for about 1 hour and turns to greenish color with a transparent body. The initial length of the first instar caterpillar is about 3mm which gradually grows up to 5mm within 1-2 days.
At the end of the 3rd instar caterpillar, the body length reaches to about 12-14 mm and a faint white line is visible. The third instar lasts about 3-4 days.
The fourth instar caterpillar is having the white line clearly visible together with black tubercles parallel to it. The body length increases up to about 25 mm at the end of the fourth instar caterpillar.
The fifth instar caterpillar shows the appearance similar to the fourth instar.
The fifth instar caterpillar reaches upto 45 mm length and then it gradually shorten. At the later stage of the fifth instar, the caterpillar cease eating and starts to find a better place to pupate. At the pre-pupatory stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad under a mature leaf and another silk strand to secure itself throughout the forthcoming stages. The caterpillar waits until next day morning to pupate.
The pupa take about 6-7 days to develop. On the evening prior to the emerging of butterfly, the pupal case begins to translucent and the markings on the forewing becomes visible gradually.
Left : Freshly formed pupal case, Right : The translucent pupal case showing the markings of the forewing of the male butterfly
The pupal case gradually stretches as its near to emerge the butterfly
The wings are fully unfolded after about 10-15 minutes.
The freshly emerged butterfly dries its wings for about 1 hour prior to fly.
Shows the large number of short transverse striae in brownish color which gives the Mottled appearance.
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