Frequently Asked Questions, Answers And Fascinating Facts About Butterflies And Moths – Part 2

April 5th, 2011 by admin No comments »

Frequently Asked Questions, Answers And Fascinating Facts About Butterflies And Moths - Part 2Do butterflies migrate?

Yes, some butterflies do migrate. Many butterflies that spend the summer in temperate North America cannot survive the cold northern winters. Each year, as the weather becomes cooler, many butterflies can be found moving southward in groups of thousands. Cloudless Sulphurs, Mourning Cloaks, Question Marks, Queens and Monarchs are among them. Exactly where all of these butterflies go is not known.

In early spring a reverse migration takes place. Butterflies from Mexico and the southern United States fly north. For most of these species the northward dispersals are gradual, but, in especially good years, one can see Painted Ladies, Cloudless Sulphurs or Clouded Skippers streaming northward along migratory routes.

Monarchs are the most well known of migratory butterflies. We know that most of the Monarchs from west of the Rocky Mountains spend the winter along the California coast while those from central North America spend the » Read more: Frequently Asked Questions, Answers And Fascinating Facts About Butterflies And Moths – Part 2

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Frequently Asked Questions, Answers And Fascinating Facts About Butterflies And Moths – Part 1

April 4th, 2011 by admin No comments »

Frequently Asked Questions, Answers And Fascinating Facts About Butterflies And Moths - Part 1What is a butterfly?

Butterflies are insects from the order Lepidoptera. There are approximately 165,000 different species of butterflies. They all have an exoskeleton, three body parts, six legs, a pair of antennae, compound eyes, a coiled mouthpart (called a proboscis) and wings that are covered with colorful scales.

Is there a difference between butterflies and moths?

  • In most cases, moths are active at night (nocturnal) and butterflies are active during the day (diurnal).
  • Butterflies sometimes flaunt bright colors on their wings which can be seen well in the sunlight, while moths are typically more dull-colored to provide camouflage at night.
  • Butterfly antennas usually straight with knobs at the end while moth antennae look more feather-like.
  • Butterfly caterpillars most often develop into hard chrysalises which are hung up by silken lines, while moths usually develop cocoons that are often buried under leaves or soil and may be wrapped in a silken casing.
  • When at rest, a butterfly’s wings are usually folded up while moths are typically spread out.

How big or small can butterflies be?

The largest butterfly known is the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing. It can have a wingspan of up to 11 inches. One of the smallest butterflies is the Western Pigmy Blue. It has a wingspan of about one centimeter » Read more: Frequently Asked Questions, Answers And Fascinating Facts About Butterflies And Moths – Part 1

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The Wonderful World Of Butterflies

April 3rd, 2011 by admin No comments »

The Wonderful World Of ButterfliesButterflies have fascinated us for their beauty, frailty and the mystery surrounding its life. For time immortal, the beauty of butterflies had not only inspired poetic and artistic imagination, but also has captured the curiosity of even of the small children.

It is clear that even our ancestors were moved by their behavior. When they noticed thousands of butterflies migrating towards “Sripada” (the sacred mountain which the Buddhists believe the Buddha’s foot print was stamped) during the pilgrim season, they believed that the butterflies were migrating to pay homage to the Buddha. Thus they went to the extent of naming the most sacred mountain of Sri Lanka, the Sripada, as “Samanala kanda”.

At present, though this migration still takes place in some areas of Sri Lanka, it could not been seen in most of the areas, due to human intervention on the environment. Thus it is sad to note that most of the present younger generation, has not seen this nature’s fascinating spectacle. Still there is hope, » Read more: The Wonderful World Of Butterflies

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