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Butterflies come in different sizes and colors, and are considered beautiful by many people. Because of this, butterfly-themed rooms, areas and pictures have been adorning homes for generations. Often, people wish to decorate their home with real butterflies, or have butterflies on display, but getting such pieces of art is quite... more »
Besides wing patterns, there are four to five main points to look for when identifying a butterfly or any member of the order Lepidoptera--which also includes moths. Its shape, size, posture and flight style are all important indicators as to what species it may be. Where the butterfly was found is also an indicator, as well as what... more »
Butterflies are some of the most beautiful insects on earth. They gain energy to fly through the sun's warmth. If you notice a butterfly sitting and spreading their wings as they slowly close them, then you are witnessing the insect soaking in the sun. They have been endangered until zoos stepped in to try to preserve the butterflies.... more »
Painted lady butterflies can be found just about anywhere in the world. One reason is because they are able to tolerate colder temperatures and can be found in North America, Africa and Asia, as well as parts of the sub-Arctic. The scientific name for this butterfly is Vanessa cardui, but it is also called the cosmopolitan or thistle... more »
When you were a child, the last gift you wanted for the holidays or your birthday was clothing or something educational. Gifts that were clearly aimed at learning were just not fun. Times have changed, though, and there is a multitude of choices in educational toys that are actually fun. more »
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You may think numerous insects are not that attractive, but the butterfly can turn the heads of anyone on a warm, sunny day. The mixture of colors... more »
The butterfly is a delicate, colorful insect with a short life span. Found in most regions, butterflies are sensitive to movement due to their... more »
Painted Lady Butterflies are one of the easiest butterflies to find because they exist on almost every continent in the world. Also known as... more »
American Copper Butterflies (or Lycaena phlaeas) are beautiful little butterflies that are black and orange or copper in color as the name... more »
Butterflies are like tiny, flying rainbows. With a good field guide, you can identify the butterflies in your yard and garden. more »
A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all holometabolous insects, butterflies life cycle consists of four parts, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic flight have made butterfly watching a hobby.
Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. In addition, a few species are pests, because they can damage domestic crops or trees in their larval stage.
Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.
Lifecycle
It is a popular belief that butterflies have very short life spans. However, butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year depending on the species. Many species have long larval life stages while others can remain dormant in their pupal or egg stages and thereby survive winters.Powell, J. A. 1987. Records of prolonged diapause in Lepidoptera. J. Res. Lepid. 25: 83-109.
Butterflies may have one or more broods per year. The number of generations per year varies from temperate to tropical regions with tropical regions showing a trend towards multivoltinism.
Egg
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 spec read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly
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