It would have to walk all the way down one plant and climb all the way up the next. By flying they can get there in just a few wingbeats. Flying also comes in handy to get away from enemies who might be waiting for them on the flowers. The caterpillar spends most of its time eating, storing up energy to turn into a butterfly or moth. Butterfly life span varies greatly.
Females generally live longer than males.
When you touch the wing of a butterfly or moth, some dust seems to rub off on your fingers. These scales help the butterfly to fly and are responsible for the colors we see on their wings. It is generally not a good idea to touch a butterfly's wings. Some people have checked out the progress of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly by taking a lot of caterpillars and, after they have pupated, opening a new chrysalis each day to see how it changes. The painted lady is in the family Nymphalidae, which are known as the brush-footed butterflies because their front legs are much reduced and lack claws.