Nov 11, 2007

Butterfly

| | 23 comments

A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a popular hobby.
Classification
Presently butterflies are classified in three superfamilies,
1.Hedyloidea, consisting of the 'American moth-butterflies'
2.Hesperioidea, consisting of the 'skippers'
3.Papilionoidea or 'true butterflies'.
The last two superfamilies are probably sister taxa, so the butterflies collectively are thought to constitute a natural group or clade.
The four stages in the lifecycle of a butterfly.
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). Butterflies are termed as holometabolous insects, and go through complete metamorphosis.
1.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 species, but they are all either spherical or ovate.
2.Larva, known as a caterpillar :-are multi-legged eating machines. They consume plant leaves and spend practically all of their time in search of food.
3.Pupa (chrysalis) :-When the larva is fully grown, hormones such as prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) are produced. At this point the larva stops feeding and begins "wandering" in the quest of a suitable pupation site, often the underside of a leaf.
4.Adult butterfly (imago) :-The adult, sexually mature, stage of the insect is known as the imago. As Lepidoptera, butterflies have four wings that are covered with tiny scales (see photo). The fore and hindwings are not hooked together, permitting a more graceful flight. An adult butterfly has six legs, but in the nymphalids, the first pair is reduced. After it emerges from its pupal stage, a butterfly cannot fly until the wings are unfolded.

23 comments:

Akelamalu said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

I love your photographs!

Gill said...

Beautiful...so absolutely inspiring too...I am doing a painting for Maddie right now that needs my total concentration, and she loves butterflies. So...thanks for this~!
xo
Gillian

Keshi said...

i love butterflies...for I feel they resemble the human soul..

Keshi.

curryegg said...

Thank for this science information.
And how are you KMF? It has been a long time I didn't visit your blog. Hope that you're fine.

My country is famous with 'Raja Broke'... if I am not mistaken with the spelling. It's a huge, beautiful species of butterflies. However, it's going to extinct since everyone is hunting for them..

And keep shooting those great photos! They are beautiful...

Jessica said...

Photographing butterflies takes patience. Nice photo. I think more than the butterfly's beauty I appreciate how much they change. I think people could learn a lot from them...

Neva said...

I tried to photograph a few butterflies this summer....was not successful. This is lovely.

Annie said...

The butterfly life cycle reminds me somehow of the story of the ugly duckling who turned into a swan.

Daniel J Santos said...

excellent, and thank you for all that information.

Digital Flower Pictures said...

My co-workers thought it was very funny watching me trying to photograph a butterfly at work a couple of weeks ago. It just wouldn't cooperate. I liked your ABC picture and would love to visit your country someday.

Catherine said...

Very nice capture of the butterfly!
And excellent info ~thanks for sharing!
Cat

Anonymous said...

WoW...a beautifully captured & composed shot with lovely lighting & the colours...Excellent!

dot said...

I love butterflies and yours is a beauty!

Noushy Syah said...

LOve your photo blog!Nice captured!

Thanks for dropping by my blog...I definitely will come again here..I'll bookmark you.Thanks!

DigitalShutterMania said...

Love your photo and thanks for sharing the knowledge about butterflies : )

Mauricio said...

Good information and Greeeeeeat picture, always.

Here, in brazil we have many butterfly, you will be like take a shot.

Avid said...

I love butterflies but i rarely see one... nice colours.
Bjs meus

Unknown said...

Great shot, i always find it hard to get butterfly shots, but this one is focused nicely. Very detailed information too.

Keep up the good work,

David

Ruth Welter said...

Hi KMF, nice to meet you thanks for stopping by my blog. What beautiful photos you've posted, just love the butterfly in particular.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Beautiful photo!

ഉപാസന || Upasana said...

പുലര്‍കാല സുന്ദര സ്വപ്നത്തില്‍ ഞാനൊരു പൂമ്പാറ്റയായ്....
കൊള്ളാം
കേയെമ്മെഫേ....
:)
ഉപാസന

പ്രയാസി said...

ചിത്രശലഭം പോല്‍ മനോഹരം..:)

മയൂര said...

ചിത്രം മനോഹരം :)

ശ്രീ said...

super!!!

:)

 
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