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How many types of butterflies exist. Milestones of evolution. Initially there was a flower

Pests of garden plants

A huge number of living beings live on Earth next to a person, most of which we simply do not notice. "How so?" - The careful reader will ask. But this is not our fault, because of one and a half million species described by biologists, two thirds are insects. In addition to minor sizes, these numerous representatives of the fauna of the Earth often have a not too clisply appearance. But not alive butterflies! If you doubted, we hurry to assure that these adorable creatures also belong to the class of insect type of arthropods and occupy a whole detachment called scrapers.

If a well-observed meadow has one or two small white one day, but a hundred, then a sudden sharp increase, most likely, will be a new migratory flock than "homemade" butterflies. It can be found in the forests, along the mature live elevation, parks and gardens. He prefers a spotted hue, and not full sunlight, and therefore coped well in many forests that are no longer actively managed.

On the balance sheet, our forests became darker, and this species won from this change. Very elegant kind of large, mature forests, where it can be found in the glades and sun walks through the forest. it unusual view, and even in favorable places, we may be lucky to see only two or three people, but there are exceptional years when it is so heavy that every ten steps appear one more. An adult adult can be mistaken for a purple emperor, but the rest is so distinguished that there can be no confusion with other British species.

Why are butterflies colored wings?

Before we give the answer, remember which types of butterflies you know and what they look like and differ from ordinary insects. So:

  • as with all representatives of the type, the body of butterflies is divided into segments and is covered with a special cuticle (chitinular sheath);
  • the shouting legs of butterflies consist of several pairs - usually out of three;
  • the presence of a workshop also indicates relationship with insects.

The main distinguishing feature of the scales are scales covering the wings and the body of butterflies. It is these particles that are on the body of one individual can take up to one hundred thousand, determine the color and the whole appearance Butterflies. Scales are:

This little, elegant white butterfly Lives in autonomous colonies in blooming forests. Even in flight it is quite easy to determine how it closes the wings so low, which is clearly visible by the distinctive oval shape of the wings, as well as black male wings. Delicates of oval wings and a long thin body easily separates it from all other proteins of Sussex. When he sits, he always holds his wings tightly closed.

Despite the seeming weakness of their flight, the males clearly possess significant endurance, as they are tirelessly patrol up and down in their sunny, flowering wooded rides. Females spend most of their time on departure and from sight, but when the spotted will feed the most from flowers. Like many types of butterflies, males, apparently, spend a small time of nectar on flower beds, but they really participate in Pudding when they get mineral saltsDrinking from the edge of dirty puddles.

  • pigment (responsible for coloring);
  • optical (refract and reflect light).


The scales of different butterflies are adapted for the needs of insects. For example, rare types of butterflies living in the tropics, painted in protective tones ambient - So it's easier for them unnoticed.

The choice of female larvae choose a female, including the "bitter wika", birdlikestall, "cherry meadow" and "Tuffhtine Vika". Attractive, not completely white, bottle-like eggs are stacked separately to the top of the plant. Governors appear in a couple of weeks and begin to eat fresh, nutritional leaves.

These are species that reduce the national level, and they can be found only in a small area of \u200b\u200bNorth-West Sussex. The accumulation of forests on the Sussex side in this extensive area of \u200b\u200bforests supports several small colonies, and if these colonies fail, it is likely that they will be reinstated by a significant population from the Surrey border. The text of the butterfly Martin Calacher.

What types of butterflies are you known or a simple classification of butterflies

Learn everything about living butterfly is quite difficult - for this you should thoroughly examine the science of lepidopterology and spend not one year. Well, to get acquainted with the world of these elegant animals without deepening in terms, we invite you to a small excursion about the simple classification criteria with examples of the types of butterflies and their names:

The monarch butterfly may be the most famous of all American butterflies with her orange, black and white wings. Although beautiful, this coloring actually sends predator warning that the monarch is a dirty tasting and poisonous. At its lacrimal stage, monarchical caterpillars eat almost exclusively on the milk, and adults get their nutrients From the nectar of colors. Monarch will always return to areas rich in dairy to postpone the eggs on the plant. The thrush, which they feed as a caterpillar, is actually a poisonous toxin and is stored in their bodies.


  1. Lifestyle. There are distinguished day and night butterflies, to distinguish which can be in the structure of the body and color. Understand that in front of you moth, very simple - if in the yard the darkest day, and the insect is endowed with a rather large body, then there should be no doubt. The largest day butterflies in the world are poultrying, or the Sailboats of Queen Alexandra (Ornithoptera Alexandrae). The wingspan of these giants are 32 centimeters. Among the nightly recorders are a huge peachanism of Atlas or Prince of Darkness (Attacus Atlas) with wings in the form of a serpentine head and a dead head (acherontia atropos) - heavyweight (9 grams), called an unusual drawing on the body.
  2. The number of representatives of the species. There are widespread and rare types of butterflies, which protect the law. The first undoubtedly refers to the reure (Pyrameis Cardui) - lives on all continents, except South America. Rare speciesUnfortunately, it becomes more and more, but today the most harder will be to see Apollo Common (Parnassius Mnemosyne) and European Brahmae (Brahmaea Europaea).

How many types of butterflies exist on our planet?


This is what makes the monarch butterfly so terrible for predators. Millions of monarch butterflies travel to Mexico to go for the winter. During migration, tens of thousands launder on one tree in certain areas along their migration path.

Where there is a thrush, there are butterflies of the monarch. Monarch is widespread throughout North America, from Central America to the north to South Canada and from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. Three geographically different populations make up the general North American area of \u200b\u200bspecies, one to the east and the west of the rocky mountains and one Central American. Each of these groups of the population has a distinct migration structure. The monarchs who live to the west of the Rocky Mountains will migrate to South California for the winter, and the monarchs that live east of the Rocky Mountains will migrate to Mexico.

To describe all kinds of butterflies and their names, our article will certainly be a little - there are about two hundred thousand species on Earth. Czechs were dwelling near other animals since the Jurassic period - this is confirmed by the finds of archaeologists. Nowadays, excellent representatives of this detachment can be found on any continent, except Antarctica.

Monarchs can produce four generations for one summer. The first three generations will have a lifespan from 2 to 6 weeks and will continue to move north. During this time, they will mate and have the next generation, which will continue to migrate to the north. The fourth generation is different and can live up to nine months. These are butterflies that will migrate south in winter in Mexico or South California.

Threats of butterflies Monarch

It is predicted that one of the many consequences of climate change will be more wet and cold winter. If they are dry, monarchs can survive below the freezing temperature, but if they are wicked and the temperature will fall, they will freeze to death. Because hundreds of millions of monarchs are located in such a small area in Sierra Nevada in Mexico in winter, a cold grip there may be destructive.

Butterflies are familiar to everyone. For a long time, people admired their beauty. People do not experience disgust with butterflies, as some other insects, perhaps because the butterflies do not bite, do not strangle, are not carriers of disease.

Summer I often admired beautiful butterflies. And I began to be interested in questions: why butterfly are vivid; where they appear from; The benefit or harm is applied by butterflies nature and man.

Ant butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees. They will sit in the sun or "tremble" so that their wings are heated. As the world sees, a suitable habitat will start moving to the north, which will lead to longer migration. This means that the monarchs may be forced to adapt and produce another generation to get on to the north. It is unclear whether they can do it. Therefore, few monarchs can return to Mexico for the winter.

Other threats to the monarch include the loss of thrush, from which they depend, because the larva survives. Illegal logging remains a problem today in Mexico in protected areas and is a destructive winter monarch. The biosphere reserve was expanded to 217 square miles. Local organizations also work to stop the illegal cleaning of trees in the reserve to protect the habitat of wintering.

To answer these questions, I began to look for information about butterflies in encyclopedias, books, on the Internet, watched TV shows about nature.

As a result, I learned that the butterflies belong to the detachment of the scraper. The total number of detachment on Earth is about 200,000 species. There are 8,879 species in Russia.

The biggest night butterfly lives in Australia and New Guinea - Atlas. She is also called the prince of darkness. The span of the wings is 28-30 cm. It is often mistaken for the bird.

We expect to 85 different species Free flying butterflies from around the world this year! It is important that we have a lot of food sources available to butterflies to maintain their health. We offer a diverse selection of nectar plants in the show, because nectar is the main source of food for many butterflies. Flowers differ in size and colors. Several times throughout the entire show plants rotate to ensure the presence of a large number of nectar.

We also have several fun butterflies, including Blue Morpho and Giant Owl, they prefer to eat only fruit. That is why you will see the fermentation of fruits on feed trays at the exhibition. We found that the butterflies are really enjoying oranges, bananas, watermelon, mango and Cantalum. It is important to note that visitors are not allowed to export fruits.

The smallest daytime butterfly - Zizulya (Zizula Hylax). This species is common in Africa, in Madagascar, in Australia. The front wing length is only 6 mm.

Butterfly structure

Like most insects, the butterfly body consists of heads, chest and abdomen.

Essential for butterflies have two pairs of wings. Since the main form of movement of butterflies is flight.

It offers additional butterflies butterflies to keep them healthy. Butterfly has all their special needs. Some butterfly will need to eat more often than others similar to people. There are many factors to consider; Examples include air temperature as far as they fly, their age, be it a man or a woman, and even the nutritional value of food.

We are all familiar with the blue butterfly morpho, but a more unique butterfly is a white morpho. It is very similar to Blue Morpho, but completely white. It can usually be found on the tree, but if you stay patient and look very hard, you can see how these beauties slide on the demonstration hall! We hope that throughout the show will be available several hundred for the pleasure of everyone!

The front pair of wings is more involved in flight than the rear, so the rear of the wings often decreases in size.

The males wings are always more developed than in females.

The butterfly wings are usually completely covered with scales, which are modified bristles. If you take a butterfly carelessly for the wings, you can damage the scales and the butterfly will not be able to fly.

Butterflies fly an average of 5-12 mph, small butterflies, as a rule, fly faster than large butterflies. Even more surprisingly that next spring The same monarchs leave Mexico and start their journey to the north, putting eggs. Other butterflies that make long bilateral migration, no. It was written that one migratory monarch made 265 miles in one day.

Yes, each butterfly has unique characteristics that helped her survive in their native environment; These characteristics are called adaptation. Below are some examples of fixtures that the butterflies possess. Warning color. Bright colors on animals, such as red, oranges and yellow, can be considered external "signs" who are dangerous for predators. An example is a monarch butterfly, they are toxic for birds.

Different painted scales on the wing form a complex pattern. Each type of butterflies is his own. Figures can be symmetrical and asymmetric.

For example, the Madagascar Urania is clearly visible asymmetry drawing on the lower wings.

Why are butterflies such bright, beautiful?

Vision, and the perception of color from butterflies is rather weak. Therefore, in order for their relatives to recognize, they must have a bright color.

Mimicry. Many butterflies will imitate the appearance or behavior of another butterfly or animal, if it helps them survive. An example is the giant butterfly owls, they have big eyes that may seem predator to be owl or other large bird. This characteristic helps prevent their attack and eating.

Basic - many butterflies love to bask or relax, opening the wings in a sunny place. Such behavior helps them warming their bodies so that they can fly. You can see butterflies in the show on the stones swimming in warmth sunlight. Butterfly flies best when the air temperature is above 80 degrees.

In addition, the coloring of the wings helps butterflies to protect against enemies.

For example, at the butterfly of Saturn, scare up the color in the form of "eyes" on the wings.

In poisonous and inedible species, such as Isabella warning bright coloring.

The ribbon of crimson the painting (on the tree bark).

Cockonopher dabutant imitates the dry sheet.

Scales - Butterflies - a unique group of insects, whose wings are covered with tiny scales, these scales - that's what gives color butterfly and wing patterns. These scales are very important to protect the butterfly. When the butterflies are losing weights, their protective colors cannot protect them more, and lack of weights can make them more difficult to fly to safe areas and find food. That is why it is important that we are not overlooking the butterflies or did not appeal to them, we need to help protect their tender wings.

Is the butterflies put eggs in the show? No, we have no plants that butterfly will want to postpone the eggs, these plants are referred to as the host plants. Many butterflies live an average of 4-6 weeks, although there are always exceptions. Some smaller butterflies can live only for a week, while some butterflies that migrate or winter can live up to 10 months. Several butterflies are also powered by pollen, and with an additional protein they can live 5-6 months if they do not get an extra protein, they live an average of 4-6 weeks.

Power sources

Methods and power supplies from different species Butterflies are different: Some powered with floral nectar, others - trees with fruit juice.

And, for example, sailboats love wet clay, from which they receive trace elements along with moisture.

The brahnik is dead head eagerly eats honey from the nests and the hives of bees.

And some butterflies are not eaten at all.

Life cycle

Butterflies are insect with complete transformation.

Them life cycle includes four phases:

  • egg,
  • larvae (caterpillar),
  • doll
  • adult insect - butterfly.
    • Butterfly eggs are covered with a dense solid sheath, which protects the egg from drying and enemies. Females lay eggs on leaves, stalks or branches of plants. Their number in the masonry can be more than 1000, but a few survive to the adult stage.

      Caterpillar

      As a rule, after two weeks, caterpillars are out of eggs.

      The caterpillar is a larvae of a butterfly.

      Most caterpillars are powered by leaves, flowers and plant fruits. The caterpillars of some species - predators, feed on troubles, anti-anthrops.

      Doll

      When the cold is approaching, the caterpillars come with cocoons themselves.

      In the cocoon butterfly winter. When spring comes, an adult insect-butterfly comes out of the doll.

      Butterfly

      In the first minutes after the exit of the pupa, the butterfly is not yet able to fly. She climbs on the elevation, where it remains before the flags of the wings. Parashed wings hardened and get the final color.

      The life expectancy of the butterfly can be from several hours to several months and on average is 2-3 weeks.

      Butterflies - pests

      Butterflies make serious harm to rural and forestry.

      Calculation of the vegetable cabbage, garden scoop, applety fruzen and others.

      Forests and gardens Harmless Scoop, ermine, cherry moth, oak, pine silkworm, and many others.

      Fur, clothes made of natural fabrics and furniture harm the fur mole, wrapping moth and furniture mole.

      Beekeeping harms wax moth.

      Useful crawler of a tute silkworm

      But for a person there is also the benefit of the caterpillar. Crawler of many types of butterflies form Silk, building cocoons from it. For example, a taled silkworm. In China, China is used Chinese oak peaculating, which is bred for over 250 years.

      In a silk cocoon, it is usually contained up to 3,500 meters of fiber, but only the third part is uttered. To get 1 kilogram of raw silk, need cocoons about thousands of caterpillars who eagerly eating 60 kilograms of the leaf of the pinway.

      Protection of butterflies

      Now on Earth, the number of many types of butterflies has been significantly reduced, and some of them are on the verge of extinction as a result economic activity Man-cutting of forests, steaming steppes, drying the marshes.

      Every year more and more countries declare the ban on the uncontrolled catch of butterflies on its territory. Many types of sailboats are strictly protected: ornithopters, teenopalpuses, etc.

      I now do not catch butterflies. After all, if you take the butterfly carelessly for the wings, you can damage the scales and the butterfly will not be able to fly.

      Ancient no wonder called butterflies flying flowers - so they are beautiful. Many legends and legends from different peoples of the world are associated with these celestial creatures. In Japan, they believe that seeing the butterfly in their house - fortunately. In Indian legend, it is said that if they tap the butterfly to his desire and release it, it will certainly be fulfilled.

      You're right. One air outline

      I'm so sweet.

      All the velvet is my alive migan

      Only two wings

      Do not ask: where did you come from?

      Where to spend?

      Here on the flower i'm light killed

      And I am aware.

      Long, without a goal, without an effort,

      I want to breathe?

      That's now, flashering, Raskin's wings

      Athanasius Fet.