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Lepidoptera families. Characteristics of the Lepidoptera order and its main families. Butterfly development: four stages of the life cycle

Lepidoptera, or butterflies, moths, moths - a detachment of insects with complete metamorphosis, the most characteristic feature of whose representatives is the presence of a dense cover of chitinous scales (flattened hairs) on the front and hind wings (in this case, the scales are located both on the veins and on the wing plate between them). Most species are characterized by specialized sucking mouthparts with a proboscis formed by elongated lobes of the lower jaw. The shape and span of the wings are very diverse: from 2 mm to 28 cm.

Development with complete transformation: there are egg, larva (called caterpillar), pupa and adult stages. The larva is worm-like, with underdeveloped ventral legs, powerfully sclerotized integuments of the head, gnawing mouthparts and paired silk-secreting glands, secretions from which, when in contact with air, form a silk thread.

Lepidoptera, whose fossils have been known since the Jurassic, are currently one of the most species-rich orders of insects - there are more than 158,000 species in the order. Representatives of the detachment are distributed on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.

The branch of entomology that studies Lepidoptera is called lepidopterology.

Total population

The Lepidoptera order in terms of species diversity undoubtedly stands out among taxa of a similar rank. Lepidoptera are one of the largest groups of insects, including, as of August 2013, 158,570 species, including 147 fossil taxa. It is assumed that up to 100,000 species are still unknown to science and, thus, the total number of Lepidoptera species existing on the planet can be estimated at approximately 200,000 - 225,000 species. On the territory of Russia there are 2166 genera and 8879 species.

Lepidoptera are very diverse, and most of their species are poorly understood. Some of the described species are known from finds from a single locality or even from a single specimen. The true estimate of the total number of existing species will never be known, because many species became extinct before they were discovered. The taxonomy of butterflies presented in various works reflects the different views of their authors and is, without a doubt, debatable.

There are disputes about the systematic position or the need to maintain the status of some subspecies or species. DNA studies indicate that some of the currently known species must be separated. A well-known example is the case where seemingly identical Colias alfacariensis And Colias hyale, previously considered one species, were divided into two after significant differences in the structure of their caterpillars and pupae were discovered.

Butterfly - description. The structure and appearance of butterflies.

In the structure of a butterfly, two main sections are distinguished - a body protected by a hard chitinous shell and wings.

A butterfly is an insect whose body consists of:

Head, inactively connected to the chest. The head of a butterfly has a rounded shape with a slightly flattened occiput. Round or oval convex eyes of a butterfly in the form of hemispheres, occupying most of the lateral surface of the head, have a complex facet structure. Butterflies have color vision, and moving objects perceive better than stationary ones. Many species have additional simple parietal eyes behind the antennae. The structure of the oral apparatus depends on the species and can be of a sucking or gnawing type.
The breast of a butterfly with a three-segment structure. The front part is much smaller than the middle and back, where there are three pairs of legs, which have a structure characteristic of insects. On the shins of the front legs of the butterfly there are spurs designed to maintain the hygiene of the antennae.
Butterfly abdomen, having the shape of an elongated cylinder, consisting of ten ring-shaped segments with spiracles located on them.
Butterfly antennae located on the border of the parietal and frontal parts of the head. They help butterflies to navigate in the environment, perceiving air vibrations and various smells. The length and structure of the antennae depend on the species.
Two pairs of butterfly wings covered with flat scales of various shapes, have a membranous structure and are pierced by transverse and longitudinal veins. The size of the hind wings can be the same as the front wings or much smaller than them. The pattern of butterfly wings varies from species to species and captivates with its beauty. When macro photography, the scales on the wings of butterflies are very clearly visible - they can have completely different shapes and colors.

The appearance and color of the butterfly's wings serve not only for intraspecific sexual recognition, but also act as a protective camouflage that allows you to blend in with the environment. Therefore, colors can be both monochrome and variegated with a complex pattern. The size of a butterfly, or better to say the wingspan of a butterfly, can range from 2 mm to 31 cm.

Internal structure

Nervous system

Butterflies have a perfect nervous system and sensory organs, thanks to which they perfectly orient themselves in the environment and quickly respond to danger signals. The nervous system, like that of all arthropods, consists of the peripharyngeal ring and the ventral nerve chain. In the head, as a result of the fusion of clusters of nerve cells, the brain is formed. This system controls all movements of the butterfly, except for such involuntary functions as blood circulation, digestion, respiration. Researchers believe that these functions are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.

Circulatory system

The circulatory system, like all arthropods, is open. The blood directly washes the internal organs and tissues, being in the body cavity, transferring nutrients to them and carrying harmful waste products to the excretory organs. It does not participate in the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide, that is, in respiration. Its movement is provided by the work of the heart - a longitudinal muscular tube located in the dorsal part above the intestines. The heart, pulsating rhythmically, drives blood to the head end of the body. The backflow of blood is prevented by the valves of the heart. When the heart expands, blood enters it from the back of the body through its side openings, which are equipped with valves that prevent backflow of blood. In the body cavity, unlike the heart, blood flows from the anterior end to the posterior end, and then, getting into the heart as a result of its pulsation, it again goes to the head.

Respiratory system and excretory system

The respiratory system is a dense network of branched internal tubes - trachea, through which air, entering through the external spiracles, is delivered directly to all internal organs and tissues.

The excretory system is a bundle of thin tubes, the so-called Malpighian vessels, located in the body cavity. They are closed at the tops, and open into the intestines at the bases. The metabolic products are filtered out by the entire surface of the Malpighian vessels, and then inside the vessels they turn into crystals. Then they enter the intestinal cavity and, together with undigested food residues, are excreted from the body. Some harmful substances, especially poisons, accumulate and isolate in the fat body.

reproductive system

The reproductive system of females consists of two ovaries, in which the formation of eggs occurs. The ovaries, passing into tubular oviducts, merge with their bases into a single unpaired oviduct, through which mature eggs are brought out. In the female reproductive system there is a seminal receptacle - a reservoir where male spermatozoa enter. Mature eggs can be fertilized by these spermatozoa. The reproductive organs of the male are two testes that pass into the vas deferens, which are combined into an unpaired ejaculatory canal, which serves to remove sperm.

Butterfly lifestyle

Unlike other insects, such as beetles, butterflies can be called true aerial creatures. Very rarely they have no wings or are in their infancy; this only happens in females. Most butterflies fly a lot and quickly - during the day, at dusk or at night; some butterflies, especially bats, fly only at certain hours. Many, such as hawks (Sphingidae), eat in flight. Some butterflies are found in caves near the entrance; only one butterfly, Acentropus niveas Olivier, is adapted to life in the water. The predominant number of butterflies live in the warm season, from early spring to autumn; egg laying also coincides with this time.

Butterfly food is liquid. Most butterflies feed on honey or nectar secreted by flowers. The dead head (Acherontia atropos L.) needs honey so much that it steals it from bee hives. Attract butterflies and other plant secretions. So, for example, they very often visit herbs that secrete honey, and butterflies can be constantly found near open cuts on a tree, as well as other insects, since these cuts secrete juice, which they feed on. Butterflies also readily extract juice from fruits, especially those previously gnawed by wasps: this makes it easier for them to access the juice.

In some butterflies, the proboscis is adapted for perforating leaves and fruits. A collector who inspects honey-smeared fishing grounds at night knows how to use these tastes of butterflies: he adds a few drops of fruit ether to the bait, and in addition uses beer; especially like alcohol scoops.

Like all other insects with complete metamorphosis, a butterfly that emerges from a chrysalis retains its size for the rest of its life. If specimens of larger and smaller sizes are found in the same species, then the reason for this is the different nutrition of the caterpillar; depending on this, during pupation it has a larger or smaller value, in accordance with which the dimensions of the body of the butterfly will be different, and the differences in the same species can be very significant. Often in some species there are dwarf forms, otherwise completely normal. Differences in magnitude may be related to a particular area; for example, the polyflora (Vanessa polychloros L.) is smaller in Ireland than in Germany.

Classification and types of butterflies

The numerous detachment of Lepidoptera includes more than 158 thousand representatives. There are several classification systems for butterflies, quite complex and intricate, with changes constantly taking place in them.

The most successful is the scheme that divides this detachment into four suborders:

Primary tooth moths. These are small butterflies with a wingspan ranging from 4 to 15 mm, with gnawing mouthparts and antennae that reach up to 75% of the size of the forewings in length. The family consists of 160 species of butterflies.

Typical representatives are:

golden small-winged;
marigold smallwing.

Proboscis butterflies. The wingspan of these insects, covered with dark small scales with cream or black spots, does not exceed 25 mm. Until 1967, they were classified as primary toothed moths, with which this family has much in common.

The most famous butterflies from this suborder:

flour moth - Asopia farinalis L.
fir cone moth - Dioryctrica abieteila.

Heterobathmias, represented by one family, Heterobathmiidae.

Proboscis butterflies, which make up the most numerous suborder, consisting of several dozen families, which include more than 150 thousand species of butterflies. The appearance and size of the representatives of this suborder is very diverse.

Below are several families demonstrating the diversity of proboscis butterflies:

Sailboat family, represented by medium and large butterflies with a wingspan of 50 to 280 mm. The pattern on the wings of butterflies consists of black, red or blue spots of various shapes, clearly visible on a white or yellow background. The most famous of them are the swallowtail butterfly, the sailboat "Glory of Bhutan", the bird-wing of Queen Alexandra and others.
Nymphalidae family, a characteristic feature of which is the absence of thickened veins on wide angular wings with a variegated color and various patterns. Butterfly wingspan varies from 50 to 130 mm. Representatives of this family are: the admiral butterfly, the daytime peacock eye butterfly, the nettle butterfly, the mourning butterfly, etc.
Family Moths, represented by night butterflies with narrow wings, the span of which does not exceed 13 cm and is distinguished by a characteristic pattern. The abdomen of these insects is thickened and spindle-shaped. The most famous butterflies of this family are the "dead head" hawk moth, the oleander hawk moth, and the poplar hawk moth.
Owl family, which includes more than 35,000 species of night butterflies. The span of gray with a metallic shade of fluffy wings averages 35 mm. However, in South America there is a species of butterflies tizania agrippina with a wingspan of 31 cm or atlas peacock-eye, the size of which resembles a medium-sized bird.

Top 10 most beautiful butterflies in the world

Zizula hylax. The most beautiful butterfly among the small representatives of the class is Zizula hylax - the length of the wings in adults is only six millimeters.

Parnasius(Parnassius bannyngtoni). If you ever want to see all the beautiful butterflies on this list, then Parnassius bannyngtoni will give you problems. The fact is that this butterfly lives in the Himalayas at an altitude of six thousand meters.

Urania(Chrysiridia rhipheus). Beautiful butterflies are usually beautiful in themselves, well, and Urania was also recognized as such by the international scientific congress. Despite the fact that the main color in the color of the insect is black, the wings are decorated with bright vertical stripes that shimmer from the sun's rays.

Greta morgane. A little beauty with transparent wings - the Americans call this butterfly Glasswing, which literally means "glass wing". The species lives mainly in South America, feeds on the pollen of plants and flowers, and also rightfully takes first place in the top of the most unusual butterflies.

bird wing(Ornithoptera alexandrae). Unfortunately, the most beautiful butterflies in the world are also the rarest. The Birdwing or Queen Alexandra's Sailboat is no exception - a giant insect with a wingspan of 32 centimeters.

Admiral(Vanessa atalanta). Butterflies that make great distances for procreation - this is just about the species Vanessa atalanta. This most beautiful butterfly in its appearance is somewhat reminiscent of Urania - the color is dominated by black and dark cherry colors, and along the wings there are vertical stripes of warm orange and milky white colors.

Dead Head(Acherontia atropos). How did an insect with such an unsightly name appear on the list of the most beautiful butterflies in the world? If you saw Acherontia atropos once, you wouldn't ask, because this night moth is really very beautiful. The name of the species comes from the unusual color of the body, in the upper part of which the contours of the human skull are clearly visible.

Painted lady(Pyrameis cardui). The simple beauty of thistles ensured her a "lifelong" belonging to the most beautiful butterflies. In addition, to get acquainted with this species, you don’t have to go to distant lands - the moth lives in all parts of the world.

peacock eye(Saturnia pyri). The peacock attracts attention with its luxurious tail, and Saturnia pyri with its wings. In addition to the color, the Peacock eye is also known for its sense of smell - during the rut, the male is able to "smell" the pheromones of the female at a distance of 10 or more kilometers.

Atlas or Prince of Darkness(Attacus atlas). The species lives in the humid climate of the evergreen forests of Asia, China, Thailand, India, and the islands of Borneo and Java are also considered the "native" range of Attacus atlas. This huge representative of the Saturnian family got its name from the ancient Greek titan Atlas - the butterfly looks really titanic - it is also on the list of the largest living moths.

Butterflies belong to one of the largest groups of insects - Lepidoptera. In addition to these creatures, this group also includes moths and moths. At the moment, Lepidoptera have about 157,000 species of insects.
These unique creatures are the second largest pollinators after bees.
The science that studies butterflies is called lepidopterology.
Attacus aitas is considered the largest night butterfly. Its wingspan is about 30 cm and it is often confused with a bird.
The most hardy butterfly in the world is called "Monarch". She can cover a distance of a thousand kilometers without stopping.
The maximum speed this little creature can reach is 12 miles per hour, but there are species that reach the mark of 50 km/h (31 mph).
The most amazing fact about these creatures is that butterflies need the warmth of the sun in order to fly.
The 4 wings of butterflies are covered with scales, which are sacs with transparent ribbed walls. After a careless touch, they fall off, and the wings look faded. In fact, butterfly wings are transparent. The scales that cover the wing simply reflect sunlight and thus give themselves color. In the rarest cases, scales in a butterfly are present in very small quantities or are completely absent.
The life cycle of these creatures consists of four phases: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult (butterfly). Eggs can have various shapes: from spherical and round to cylindrical and angular. It depends on the type of butterfly.
An interesting fact: a butterfly lays its offspring in one place for many years in a row.
Butterflies never sleep.
In some Asian and South American countries, butterflies are considered a delicacy!
The most complex organ of these amazing creatures is the eyes. They are made up of 6,000 tiny pieces called lenses.
The only continent where Lepidoptera do not live is Antarctica.
Butterflies are ancient creatures. Their images are present on Egyptian frescoes, which are more than 3.5 thousand years old.
Taste buds in butterflies are located on the paws, i.e. standing on the plant, they can taste it.
Butterflies are one of the most common objects for collecting among the most famous people in the world, such as: Nabokov, Rothschild, Bulgakov, Mavrodi.
The period during which the butterfly lays eggs lasts only a few days, but one individual can lay more than a thousand eggs.
Basically, all caterpillars live on land, but there is also a species of water caterpillars called broad-winged moths.
Basically, most butterflies have a short life - only a few days. However, there are specimens with a rather long life cycle: the Brixton butterfly is a long-liver, its cycle lasts up to 10 months.
In the world there is more than one species of these insects, which can rightfully be considered the rarest. One of them is Queen Alexandra's sailboat, the largest butterfly on the planet. It is possible to find it only on the territory of Papua New Guinea and thanks to collectors, this species is on the verge of complete extinction.
Many butterflies have earned a place in the Red Book only because of their incredibly beautiful color, and some of these creatures are pests for crops.
There are several species of these beautiful creatures that do not eat at all during the entire imago cycle (the last stage of life). Such individuals live due to the energy accumulated during the period when the butterfly was still a caterpillar.
In Russian, the word "butterfly" is derived from the word "woman", as our ancestors believed that all witches become butterflies after death.
The Blue Dwarf is considered to be the smallest butterfly in the world, with a wingspan of only 1.4 cm.
In the tropical forests of the New and Old Worlds, there is a species of butterfly whose males feed on the tears of animals.
Butterflies are nearsighted!
These creatures can even distinguish colors, however, not all of them. Each species sees some of its shades. So, for example, cabbage sees red, but satire does not distinguish it at all.
Peru and one Indian state, Sikkim, are considered the richest in the diversity of Lepidoptera species.
It turns out that the secret of the butterfly is hidden precisely in its scales on the wings. They maintain the temperature balance, and also increase the airworthiness.
The proboscis of a butterfly is a modified lower jaw that has been transformed into a sucking organ. But the butterfly caterpillar has rather strong jaws, thanks to which it can chew solid food.
The most common butterfly in Russia and Siberia is the Peacock eye. Due to its original pattern, it is difficult to confuse it with any other: the upper part of the wing has a cherry-brown color and a spot in the form of an eye, which is characteristic of this species, while the bottom is completely black-brown.
Butterflies are twilight creatures. Only some members of this group of insects are diurnal. Butterflies feed on nectar and other plant secretions containing sugar.

These creatures of incredible beauty at all times amaze people with their incredible variety of colors, bizarre shapes and intricate patterns. Butterflies are born in order to die, giving life to a new generation before that.

Video

Sources

http://mybutterfly.ru/item/865

Lepidoptera, or butterflies, are one of the most numerous orders of insects from the type of arthropods. A characteristic feature of all representatives of the order is the presence of a scaly multi-colored cover of the wings.

Currently, about 150 thousand species are known, distributed throughout the globe, with the exception of Antarctica. The fauna of tropical regions is especially rich in diverse, brightly colored butterflies. The order Lepidoptera includes two suborders: homoptera and heteroptera. The latter include most of the butterflies now known. These are colorful moths, peacock-eyes, moths, nymphalids, moths, as well as inconspicuous moths, garden pests - leafworms, etc.

reproduction . Insects of this order are characterized by a complete transformation in the process of development, that is, a larva hatches from an egg that does not look like an adult. Larvae (caterpillars) have a gnawing type of mouth apparatus and an elongated body. In addition to three pairs of thoracic legs, the larva has 2-5 pairs of abdominal prolegs - non-segmented oblong formations with claws at the ends. The larvae of many species, such as the apple moth, form web nests where several individuals feed together and hide from enemies. The salivary glands of the caterpillar, in addition to saliva, also secrete silk threads, from which it weaves a protective cocoon for the pupa, into which the larva turns after several molts. After a certain period, a fully formed adult insect (imago) emerges from the pupa. Lepidoptera imagoes are characterized by a short lifespan - from several hours (in non-feeding species) to several months.

The annual cycles of development of butterflies in different species are different. Most species give one generation per year, some two or more. The vast majority of Lepidoptera are nocturnal, some species are active during the daytime.

Structure. The sizes of representatives of the Lepidoptera order vary widely - from 2 mm to 15 cm. The smallest butterfly is a baby moth that lives in the Canary Islands, the largest is the Maak sailboat, common in Europe.

Like other insects, the body is divided into head, thorax and abdomen. The outer strong chitinous cover forms the outer skeleton.

All adults have two pairs of wings covered with modified scale hairs. These scales determine the pattern and coloration of the wings, thanks to a combination of colored and colorless scales that refract the sun's rays and give the wings a metallic sheen. The color of the wings can be bright, scaring off enemies, or faded, adaptive (for mimicry). All butterflies fly well, some are capable of long flights.

The oral apparatus of butterflies is of a sucking type and is a plastic, spirally twisted proboscis, for feeding on liquid substances, in particular, flower nectar. Some moths are devoid of a proboscis, they have mouth organs of a gnawing type. There are antennae of various sizes and shapes - the organs of smell and touch. Large compound eyes located on the sides of the head are well developed. The presence of a hearing aid and organs of taste is characteristic.

All butterflies are dioecious. Some species show sexual dimorphism.

Meaning of Lepidoptera in nature and human life is huge. Adult butterflies are excellent plant pollinators. But caterpillars of many species (for example, gypsy moth, white cabbage, apple moth) harm crop plants. Sometimes caterpillars of certain species are used in weed control. The mulberry and oak Chinese silkworm has long been bred by man to produce silk. Many large butterflies attract with their beauty, for example, swallowtail, Apollo. Entomological collections, both private and scientific, have been collected for a long time. With the increase in the number of collectors, butterfly farms have even been established in some countries. More than 100 species of butterflies are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book.

Butterfly belongs to the class Insects, phylum Arthropoda, order Lepidoptera (Lepidóptera).

The Russian name "butterfly" comes from the Old Slavonic word "babаka", denoting the concept of "old woman" or "grandmother". In the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, it was believed that these were the souls of the dead, so people treated them with respect.

Butterfly: description and photo. The structure and appearance of butterflies

In the structure of a butterfly, two main sections are distinguished - a body protected by a hard chitinous shell and wings.

A butterfly is an insect whose body consists of:

Head, inactively connected to the chest. The head of a butterfly has a rounded shape with a slightly flattened occiput. Round or oval convex eyes of a butterfly in the form of hemispheres, occupying most of the lateral surface of the head, have a complex facet structure. Butterflies have color vision, and moving objects perceive better than stationary ones. Many species have additional simple parietal eyes behind the antennae. The structure of the oral apparatus depends on the species and can be of a sucking or gnawing type.

Breast having a three-segment structure. The front part is much smaller than the middle and back, where there are three pairs of legs, which have a structure characteristic of insects. On the shins of the front legs of the butterfly there are spurs designed to maintain the hygiene of the antennae.
The abdomen has the shape of an elongated cylinder, consisting of ten ring-shaped segments with spiracles located on them.

Butterfly structure

The antennae of a butterfly are located on the border of the parietal and frontal parts of the head. They help butterflies to navigate in the environment, perceiving air vibrations and various smells.

The length and structure of the antennae depend on the species.

Two pairs of butterfly wings, covered with flat scales of various shapes, have a membranous structure and are pierced by transverse and longitudinal veins. The size of the hind wings can be the same as the front wings or much smaller than them. The pattern of butterfly wings varies from species to species and captivates with its beauty.

When macro photography, the scales on the wings of butterflies are very clearly visible - they can have completely different shapes and colors.

Butterfly wings - macro photography

The size of a butterfly, or better to say the wingspan of a butterfly, can range from 2 mm to 31 cm.

Classification and types of butterflies

1) Primary toothed moths. These are small butterflies with a wingspan ranging from 4 to 15 mm, with gnawing mouthparts and antennae that reach up to 75% of the size of the forewings in length. The family consists of 160 species of butterflies.

Typical representatives are:

golden winged ( Micropteryx calthella);
marigold smallwing ( Micropteryx calthella).

2) Proboscis butterflies. The wingspan of these insects, covered with dark small scales with cream or black spots, does not exceed 25 mm. Until 1967, they were classified as primary toothed moths, with which this family has much in common.

The most famous butterflies from this suborder:

flour fire ( Asopia farinalis L..),
fir cone moth ( Dioryctrica abieteila).

3) Heterobatmia, represented by one family Heterobathmiidae.

4) Proboscis butterflies, which make up the most numerous suborder, consisting of several dozen families, which include more than 150 thousand species of butterflies. The appearance and size of the representatives of this suborder is very diverse. Below are several families that demonstrate the diversity of proboscis butterflies.

Sailboat family, represented by medium and large butterflies with a wingspan of 50 to 280 mm. The pattern on the wings of butterflies consists of black, red or blue spots of various shapes, clearly visible on a white or yellow background. The most famous of them are:
1. Butterfly swallowtail;
2. Sailboat "Glory of Bhutan";
3. Birdwing of Queen Alexandra and others.

Butterfly swallowtail

Nymphalidae family, a characteristic feature of which is the absence of thickened veins on wide angular wings with a variegated color and various patterns. Butterfly wingspan varies from 50 to 130 mm. Representatives of this family are:
1. Butterfly admiral;
2. Butterfly diurnal peacock eye;
3. Butterfly urticaria;
4. Butterfly mourning, etc.

Butterfly Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Butterfly diurnal peacock eye

Butterfly urticaria (Aglais urticae)

Butterfly mourner

, represented by night butterflies with narrow wings, the span of which does not exceed 13 cm and is distinguished by a characteristic pattern. The abdomen of these insects is thickened and spindle-shaped. The most famous butterflies of this family:
1. Hawk hawk "dead head";
2. Oleander hawk;
3. Poplar hawk.

Owl family, which includes more than 35,000 species of night butterflies. The span of gray with a metallic shade of fluffy wings averages 35 mm. However, in South America there is a species of butterflies tizania agrippina with a wingspan of 31 cm or atlas peacock-eye, the size of which resembles a medium-sized bird.

Where do butterflies live in nature?

The distribution range of butterflies on the planet is very wide. It does not include only the ice expanses of Antarctica. Butterflies live everywhere from North America and Greenland to the coast of Australia and the island of Tasmania. The largest number of species was found in Peru and India. These fluttering insects make their flights not only in the flowering valleys, but also high in the mountains.

What do butterflies eat?

The diet of many butterflies consists of pollen and nectar from flowering plants. Many species of butterflies feed on tree sap, overripe and rotting fruit. And the dead head hawk moth is a real gourmet, because it often flies into hives and regales itself on the honey they have collected.

Some Nymphalidae butterflies need various trace elements and additional moisture. Their source is excrement, urine and sweat of large animals, wet clay, and human sweat.

These butterflies include the Madagascar comet, whose wingspan is 14-16 cm. The life expectancy of this butterfly is 2-3 days.

Also among the butterflies there are "vampires". For example, males of some species of cutworms maintain their strength thanks to the blood and tear fluid of animals.

Such is the vampire butterfly (lat. Calyptra).

Numerous orders of insects are conditionally divided into two groups. In representatives of the first group, the larvae emerging from the egg are similar to adults and differ from them only in the absence of wings. These include cockroaches, grasshoppers, locusts, bugs, praying mantises, stick insects, etc. These are insects with incomplete transformation. In the second group, eggs hatch into worm-like larvae, completely different from their parents, which then turn into pupae, and only after that adult winged insects emerge from the pupae. Such is the cycle of development of insects with complete transformation. These include mosquitoes, bees, wasps, flies, fleas, beetles, caddis flies, and butterflies.

What is metamorphosis and why is it needed?

Metamorphosis, i.e. a life cycle with a series of successive transformations is a very successful acquisition in the struggle for existence. Therefore, it is widely distributed in nature and is found not only in insects, but also in other living organisms. Metamorphosis allows different stages of the same species to avoid competition among themselves for food and for habitats. After all, the larva eats other food and lives in a different place, there is no competition between larvae and adults. Caterpillars gnaw on leaves, adult butterflies quietly feed on flowers - and no one interferes with anyone. With the help of metamorphosis, the same species simultaneously occupies several ecological niches (feeding both on leaves and flowers in the case of butterflies), which also increases the chances of a species to survive in a constantly changing environment. After the next change, at least one of the stages will survive, which means it will survive, the whole species will continue to exist.

Butterfly development: four stages of the life cycle

So, butterflies are insects with complete transformation - they have all four stages of the corresponding life cycle: egg, pupa, larva caterpillar and imago - an adult insect. Let us consider successively the stages of transformations in butterflies.

Egg

First, an adult butterfly lays an egg and thereby gives rise to a new life. Eggs, depending on the species, can be round, oval, cylindrical, conical, flattened, and even bottle-like. Eggs differ not only in shape, but also in color (usually they are white with a green tint, but other colors are not so rare - brown, red, blue, etc.).

Eggs are covered with a dense hard shell - chorion. The embryo under the chorion is supplied with a supply of nutrients, very similar to the well-known egg yolk. It is according to it that the two main life forms of Lepidoptera eggs are distinguished. The eggs of the first group are poor in yolk. In those species of butterflies that lay such eggs, inactive and weak caterpillars develop. Outwardly, they look like tadpoles - a huge head and a thin thin body. Caterpillars of these species should begin to feed immediately after hatching, only after that they acquire quite well-fed proportions. That is why butterflies of these species lay their eggs on a host plant - on leaves, stems or branches. Eggs placed on plants are characteristic of diurnal butterflies, hawks, and many scoops (especially arrowheads).

Butterfly eggs

In other butterflies, the eggs are rich in yolk and ensure the development of strong and active caterpillars. After leaving the egg shell, these caterpillars immediately begin to spread and are able to cover sometimes very considerable distances for them before they find suitable food. Therefore, butterflies that lay such eggs do not have to worry much about their placement - they lay them where they have to. Thinworms, for example, scatter eggs on the ground in bulk right on the fly. In addition to fine-weavers, this method is typical for bagworms, glass-cases, many volnyanka, cocoon-worms and she-bears.

There are also Lepidoptera that try to sink their eggs into the ground (some scoops).

The number of eggs in a clutch also depends on the species and sometimes reaches 1000 or more, but not all of them survive to the adult stage - it depends on factors such as temperature and humidity. In addition, butterfly eggs have no enemies from the world of insects.

The average duration of the egg stage is 8-15 days, but in some species the eggs hibernate and this stage lasts for months.

Caterpillar

A caterpillar is a butterfly larva. It is usually worm-like and has a gnawing mouthpart. As soon as the caterpillar is born, it begins to feed intensively. Most larvae feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. Some species feed on wax and horny substances. There are also larvae - predators, their diet includes sedentary aphids, mealybugs, etc.

In the process of growth, the caterpillar molts several times - it changes its outer shell. On average, there are 4-5 molts, but there are also species that molt up to 40 times. After the last molt, the caterpillar turns into a chrysalis. Butterfly caterpillars living in colder climates often do not have time to complete their life cycle in one summer and fall into winter diapause.

Butterfly caterpillar “Swallowtail”

Many people think that the more beautiful and brighter the caterpillar, the more beautiful the butterfly that has developed from it will be. However, it is often just the opposite. For example, from the bright caterpillar of a large harpy (Cerura vinula), a very modestly colored moth is obtained.

chrysalis

The pupae do not move and do not feed, they only lie (hang) and wait, spending the reserves accumulated by the caterpillar. Outwardly, it seems that nothing is happening, but this last stage of an amazing transformation can be called a “stormy calm”. Inside the pupa at this time, very important vital processes of restructuring the body are boiling, new organs appear and form.

The chrysalis is completely defenseless, the only thing that allows it to survive is its relative invisibility to enemies - birds and predatory insects.

Butterfly chrysalis “Peacock eye”

Usually, the development of a butterfly in a chrysalis lasts 2-3 weeks, however, in some species, the chrysalis is a stage that falls into winter diapause.

Pupae are silent creatures, but there are exceptions: the pupa of the hawk moth dead head and the pupa of the blueberry artaxerxes can ... squeak.

Imago

An adult insect emerges from the pupa - imago. The shell of the pupa bursts, and the imago, clinging to the edge of the shell with its feet, while applying a lot of effort, crawls out.

A newborn butterfly cannot fly yet - its wings are small, as if folded, and wet. The insect necessarily climbs to a vertical elevation, where it remains until it fully spreads its wings. In 2-3 hours, the wings lose their elasticity, harden and acquire their final color. Now you can make your first flight!

The lifespan of an adult varies from a few hours to several months, but the average age of a butterfly is only 2-3 weeks.

In contact with

Morphologically, Lepidoptera (butterflies) constitute a fairly compact group of winged insects. The whole body and 4 wings are densely covered with scales and partly with hairs. Head with large compound eyes, well-developed labial palps and a long spirally twisted sucking proboscis located between them. Only toothed moths (Micropterigidae) have gnawing mouthparts. The antennae are well developed, of the most diverse structure - from filiform to pinnate or club-shaped.

The wings are usually wide, triangular, rarely narrow or even lanceolate. Most often, the forewings are somewhat wider than the hindwings, but sometimes (for example, in species of the Crambidae family) the reverse relationship is observed: the hindwings are much wider than the narrow forewings. In lower Lepidoptera (Micropterigidae, Eriocraniidae, Hepialidae), both pairs of wings are approximately the same in shape and size.

The front and rear fenders are fastened together with a special hitch. The most common frenate type of wing adhesion. In this case, the clutch is carried out with the help of frenulum (bridle) and retinanulum (hook). The bridle is represented by one or several strong setae at the base of the hind wing, while the hook is either a row of setae or a curved outgrowth at the base of the fore wing. In some groups, the phrenic coupling apparatus disappears (for example, in the club-bearing lepidoptera - Rhopalocera and cocoonworms - Lasiocampidae), and the connection of the wings is provided by the superposition of the front wing on the expanded base of the hind wing. This type of wing coupling is called aplexiform.

The wing venation of Lepidoptera is characterized by a significant (reduction of transverse veins and slight branching of the main longitudinal trunks. Within the order, 2 types of wing venation are distinguished.

The scales on the wings are differently colored and often form a rather complex pattern. Structural coloration (spots with a metallic sheen) is often observed. A fringe stretches along the outer and posterior edge of the wings, consisting of several rows of scales and hairs.

In the thoracic region, the mesothorax is most developed). The prothorax on the sides of the tergite bears lobe-like appendages - patagia. In the mesothorax, similar formations are located above the base of the forewings and are called teguli. The legs are running, often with spurs on the shins. In some Lepidoptera, the front legs are strongly (reduced, hidden in the hairline), and butterflies move on four legs.

Diurnal Lepidoptera, which form the natural Rhopalocera group, raise and fold their wings over their backs when at rest. In most other butterflies, both pairs of wings are retracted, folded and stretched along the abdomen; only some moths (Geometridae) and peacock-eyes (Attacidae) do not fold their wings, but keep them outstretched to the sides.

The abdomen consists of 9 segments. The last segment is drastically modified, especially in males, in which it forms the copulatory apparatus. The structural features of the copulatory apparatus are widely used in taxonomy, making it possible to clearly distinguish even closely related species. In females, the last segments of the abdomen (usually from the seventh to the ninth) are transformed into a telescopic soft ovipositor. In most cases, the reproductive system of female butterflies opens outwards with two genital openings. One of them, terminal, serves only for laying eggs, the second, located either at the end of the seventh segment or on the eighth segment, is the copulatory opening. This type of reproductive system is called ditrizic and is characteristic of most Lepidoptera. However, in the archaic families (Micropterigidae, Eriocraniidae, etc.), the reproductive system is built according to the so-called monotrician type, in which there is only one genital opening. Finally, in the family Hepialidae, although two genital openings are developed, both of them occupy a terminal position.

A characteristic feature of butterflies is the development in many of them of cryptic devices that provide them with protection from predators. Complex patterns on the wings imitate individual elements of the environment. So, in some scoops (Nootuidae), sitting on tree trunks during the day, the front wings are similar in color and pattern to lichens. The hindwings, covered from above by the forewings, are not visible and do not have a complex pattern. The same is observed in dendrophilic moths (Geometridae), in which the image of the structure of the cortex is often reproduced on the forewings. In some nymphalids (Nymphalidae), when the wings are folded, their underside turns out to be outside. It is this side that is painted in many of them in dark brown tones, which, combined with the indented contour of the wings, creates a complete illusion of last year's dried leaf.

Often, in parallel with the cryptic coloration, butterflies have patterns with bright, catchy spots. Almost all nymphalids, which have a cryptic pattern on the underside of their wings, are painted extremely effectively on top. Multi-color bright coloration is used by butterflies to recognize individuals of their own species. In specklings (Zygaenidae), which have poisonous hemolymph, the bright contrasting coloration of the wings and abdomen performs a different signal function, indicating their inedibility for predators. Some diurnal Lepidoptera show a remarkable resemblance to well-protected insects such as stinging Hymenoptera. In glass-bottles (Sesiidae), this similarity is achieved by the color of the abdomen and the transparency of narrow wings, on which the scales are almost completely reduced.

The main food source for butterflies is nectar. Flying from flower to flower when feeding, butterflies, along with Diptera, Hymenoptera and beetles, actively participate in pollination of plants. It is noteworthy that butterflies, having a rather long proboscis, visit flowers not only with open sources of nectar, but also with nectar deeply hidden in the spurs of flowers or at the bottom of the tubular corolla and, accordingly, inaccessible to other insects. The flowers of many carnations and orchids, due to their morphology, can only be pollinated by Lepidoptera. Some tropical orchids have special adaptations for the pollination of flowers by Lepidoptera.

In addition to nectar, many butterflies readily absorb the juice flowing from injured trees or fruits. On a hot summer day, large concentrations of whites (Pieridae) can be observed near puddles. Other Lepidoptera also fly here, attracted by water. Many diurnal butterflies often feed on the excrement of vertebrates. Independently, in the most diverse families of Lepidoptera, aphagia occurs: butterflies do not feed and their proboscis undergoes reduction. Among insects with complete metamorphosis, Lepidoptera are the only large group in which the transition to aphagia is so often observed.

Most Lepidoptera are nocturnal and only a few groups are active during the day. Among the latter, the leading place belongs to the mace, or diurnal Lepidoptera (Rhopalocera) - a group that is extremely abundant in the tropics. The diurnal way of life is also characteristic of brightly colored moths (Zygaenidae) and glassworts (Sesiidae). Among other families of Lepidoptera of the Palearctic fauna, species with diurnal activity occur sporadically. Some moths (Noctuidae), moths (Geometridae), moths (Pyralidae), leafworms (Tortricidae) are active around the clock, but during the day these butterflies are most often active in cloudy weather or in shaded places.

Lepidoptera are insects with a pronounced sexual dimorphism, which is manifested in the structure of the antennae and the coupling apparatus of the wings, in the nature of the wing pattern, and in the degree of pubescence of the abdomen. The most demonstrative sexual dimorphism in wing pattern is observed in both diurnal and nocturnal Lepidoptera. A striking example of sexual differences is the coloring of the wings of the gypsy moth (Ocneria dispar L.). Females of this species are large, with light, almost white wings; they differ sharply from small and slender males with a complex brown pattern on the wings. The antennae of female gypsy moths are slightly comb-like, those of males are strongly comb-like. Sexual dimorphism in the color of the wings can be expressed in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum and is invisible to the human eye. So, absolutely identical white butterflies of hawthorn (Aporia crataegi L.) are actually dimorphic, and males differ from females in the ultraviolet pattern.

The extreme expression of sexual dimorphism can be bagworms (Psychidae), some moths (Geometridae), certain types of wavelets (Lymantriidae) and leafworms (Tortricidae), in which females, unlike males, do not have wings, or have their rudiments. Females of many Lepidoptera emit odorous substances (pheromones), the smells of which the males capture with olfactory receptors. The sensitivity of the receptors is quite high, and males pick up the smell of a female from a distance of several tens, and sometimes hundreds of meters.

to be continued...