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More About Butterflies ...
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A butterfly is a flying insect of the order Lepidoptera belonging to one of the superfamilies Hesperioidea (the skippers) and Papilionoidea (all other butterflies). Many butterflies have striking colours and patterns on their wings. People who study or collect butterflies (or the closely- related moths) are called lepidopterists
Unlike many insects, butterflies do not experience a nymph period, but instead go through a pupal stage which lies between the larva and the adult stage (the imago).
Egg
Larva, known as a caterpillar
Pupa (chrysalis)
Adult butterfly (imago)
Butterfly eggs consist of a hard-ridged outer layer of shell, called the chorion. This is lined with a thin coating of wax which prevents the egg from drying out before the larva has had time to fully develop. Each egg contains a number of tiny funnel-shaped openings at one end, called micropyles; the purpose of these holes is to allow sperm to enter and fertilize the egg. Butterfly and moth eggs vary greatly in size between species, but they are all either spherical or ovate.
Larvae, or caterpillars, are multi-legged eating machines. They consume plant leaves and spend practically all of their time in search of food. As they mature their skin is shed several times.
When the larva has eaten enough it will will form a chrysalis (Butterflies do not spin cocoons, moths do.) The larva usually moves to the underside of a leaf. To form a cocoon it spins a silk-like thread around itself. A chrysalis is formed by hardening bodily secretions. A larva completely covered by a cocoon or chrysalis is called a pupa. Inside its protective shell the larva will transform into a butterfly (or moth), a process known as metamorphosis.
The adult, sexually mature, stage of the insect is known as the imago. As Lepidoptera, butterflies have four wings, but unlike moths, the fore and hindwings are not hooked together, permitting a more graceful flight. A butterfly has six legs; the larva also has six true legs and a number of prolegs. After it emerges from its pupal stage it cannot fly for some time because its wings have not yet unfolded. A newly emerged butterfly needs to spend some time 'inflating' its wings with blood and letting them dry, during which time it is extremely vulnerable to predators.
Many species of butterfly are sexually dimorphic. Some butterflies, such as the Monarch butterfly, are migratory.
Butterflies are often confused with moths, but there are a few simple differences between them, including colour, habits, and pupating appearance. See the difference between a butterfly and a moth.
Butterflies live primarily on nectar from flowers. Some also derive nourishment from pollen, tree sap, rotting fruit, dung, and dissolved minerals in wet sand or dirt. Butterflies are also pollinators.
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Butterflies
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INFO LINKS
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Viceroy Butterfly
Amazing insects
short narrative/pictures Read More
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Butterfly
Virginia Cooperative Extension
More butterflies nad Mothe like Hickory horned Devil, IO Moth, saddleback caterpillar, stinging caterpillar, etc. Read More
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Butterfly
The North American Butterfly Association
- nonprofit organization with local chapters educating the public about recreational butterflying. Read More
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Aphrodite Frittilary Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Aphrodite Frittilary Butterfly picture and description Read More
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Satyr Anglewing Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Satyr Anglewing Butterfly picture and description Read More
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Milbert's Tortoise Shell Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Milbert's Tortoise Shell Butterfly picture and description Read More
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Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Mourning Cloak Butterfly picture and description Read More
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Painted Lady Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Painted Lady Butterfly picture and description Read More
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Red Admiral Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Red Admiral Butterfly picture and description Read More
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White Admiral Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
White Admiral Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Inornate Ringlet Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Inornate Ringlet Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Common Wood Nymph Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Common Wood Nymph Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Red-disked Alpine Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Red-disked Alpine Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Dreamy Dusky Wing Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Dreamy Dusky Wing Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Persius Dusky Wing Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Persius Dusky Wing Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Arctic Skipper Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Arctic Skipper Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Cabbage White Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Cabbage White Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Western Tailed Blue Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Western Tailed Blue Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Greenish Blue Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Greenish Blue Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Meadow Frittilary Butterfly
Calgary's Weaselhead Society
Meadow Frittilary Butterfly Picture Gallery Read More
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Blue Morpho Butterfly
The Butterfly House
Short narrative about the blue morpho butterfly Read More
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Butterfly
Rickert's Garden
About butterfiles in Minnesota, pictures of various species and distribution maps Read More
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Monarch Butterfly
PBS
An article about Monarch Butterfly Migration Read More
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