The common name for the larva of a butterfly is a caterpillar. Caterpillars are the juvenile form of butterflies and moths, which undergo a metamorphic lifecycle consisting of four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult butterfly. During the caterpillar stage, they primarily feed on leaves and other plant materials, growing rapidly. Caterpillars often exhibit various colors and patterns, some of which serve as camouflage or warning signals to predators. After reaching a certain size, they enter the pupal stage, eventually emerging as fully developed butterflies, ready to continue the cycle.