Insects are an important part of our ecosystems, and we still have much to learn about them! Most of a butterfly’s digestive tract is housed inside the abdomen. It is used like a straw to suck up liquids such as flower nectar, water, fruit juices, leaking tree sap, animal sweat, or other things depending on the species. These reduced legs have lost their function in this family of butterflies, and are not used for walking. GB 991 2771 89 The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, between 40–50 million years ago. Unlike human eyes, which each have one lens, each of a butterfly’s compound eyes is made up of many smaller “eyes” called ommatidia, which each have their own lens. Hours, Imagine the Order Lepidoptera as the “Order of Moths”. Madagascar. Hoskins ( unless otherwise stated ) and are protected by Copyright. There are various general “rules” listed below for telling moths and butterflies apart, but be warned – there are many exceptions to some of these “rules,” and they are not as reliable as looking at the antennae! Palaearctic - This is the Butterflies and moths belong to the insect Order Lepidoptera, which is a word that comes from the Greek words for “scale” and “wing.” This is because all the patterns and colours on the wings and bodies of butterflies and moths are made up of tiny coloured scales. 18000 butterfly species in the world. Both have similarly shaped bodies with scaled wings, and in fact Lepidoptera means “scaled wing” in Greek. barren and frozen area is virtually devoid of butterflies. Mexico to the southern tip of South America, and also includes the Privacy Policy Scales are unique to butterflies and moths, and they come in three varieties: pigmented, diffractive, and androconia. One of the best ways to attract butterflies to your yard is to plant nectar-producing flowers that have red, yellow, orange, pink, or purple blossoms. 2. Browse galleries of butterfly and moth photographs from Asia, Western Europe, North America, and Central America. Find links to other web sites with additional information about these fascinating insects. Start a butterfly garden. A butterfly’s habitat depends on its species. School Groups Butterflies are only able to sip on liquids with their proboscis and are unable to pierce or break skin. These are the Mazarine Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Black-veined White, Large Copper and Large Blue. Feb 12, 2019 - Explore Butterfly Lady's board "Learn About Butterflies", followed by 3571 people on Pinterest. In fact, if butterflies had just been discovered today, scientists would very likely call them moths too, and the word “butterfly” would never even exist! China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan. You will only see these legs if you can carefully pry them away from the body with tweezers. Habitats in this region include rainforests, Insects are an important part of our ecosystems, and we still have much to learn about them! Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and the Arab states. Conservatory Policies, 2500 Kossuth Road Cambridge, Ontario N3H 4R7 info@cambridgebutterfly.com, © Copyright 2002 - 2020 Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory ®, Summer Daycamp and Youth Group Field Trips, Butterflies tend to be diurnal (active during the day), where the daylight makes their colours showy, Butterflies tend to pupate in a hard chrysalis, Butterflies tend to rest with their wings closed and directly over their backs (unless they are sunning). As well, butterfly eyes can see ultraviolet light, which humans cannot. It is beyond the scope of any. British residents and most migrants from Europe. This is not because they have lost two legs. So, what is the difference? subtropical forests, savannah grasslands, scrub and deserts. The answer is: butterflies! The UK has 59 species of butterflies – 57 resident species of butterflies and two regular migrants – the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow.