Merian’s new approach to scientific illustration is demonstrated in this watercolour of the life cycle of the Achilles Morpho Butterfly (Morpho achilles). Unlike her predecessors, who had arranged the different life stages in a row, Merian produced an elegant naturalistic composition, which nonetheless shows the caterpillar, green chrysalis (at centre left), and adult butterfly with wings both open and closed. Merian was careful to show the insects she depicted at life size.