BUTTERFLY FACTS

Butterfly Facts

What is a Butterfly?

Butterflies are beautiful, flying insects with large scaly wings. Like all insects, they have six jointed legs, 3 body parts, a pair of antennae, compound eyes, and an exoskeleton. The three body parts are the head, thorax (the chest), and abdomen (the tail end). 

The butterfly's body is covered by tiny sensory hairs. The four wings and the six legs of the butterfly are attached to the thorax. The thorax contains the muscles that make the legs and wings move.

• Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Common Name:	Butterfly
Scientific Name:	Papilionoidea
Location:	Worldwide
Diet:	Herbivore
Size:	0.6-30cm (0.2-12in)
Number Of Species:	12,000
Average Lifespan:	40 days
Conservation Status:	Least Concern
Colour:	Yellow, Black, Orange, Red, Green, Blue, White
Skin Type:	Hair
Favourite Food:	Nectar
Habitat:	Quiet forests and pastures
Average Litter Size:	100
Main Prey:	Nectar, Pollen, Honey
Predators:	Bats, Frogs, Small mammals and reptiles
Special Features:	Long, curled tongue and brightly coloured wingspan

• LIFE-CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY

Butterflies and moths undergo complete metamorphosis in which they go through four different life stages.

• Egg - A butterfly starts its life as an egg, often laid on a leaf.

• Larva - The larva (caterpillar) hatches from an egg and eats leaves or flowers almost constantly. The caterpillar molts (loses its old skin) many times as it grows. The caterpillar will increase up to several thousand times in size before pupating.

• Pupa - It turns into a pupa (chrysalis); this is a resting stage.

• Adult - A beautiful, flying adult emerges. This adult will continue the cycle.

• HABITAT

Butterflies are found all over the world and in all types of environments: hot and cold, dry and moist, at sea level and high in the mountains. Most butterfly species, however, are found in tropical areas, especially tropical rainforests. 

Many butterflies migrate in order to avoid adverse environmental conditions (like cold weather). Butterfly migration is not well understood. Most migrate relatively short distances (like the Painted Lady, the Red Admiral, and the Common Buckeye), but a few (like some Monarchs) migrate thousands of miles. 

• BUTTERFLY FOSSILS

Butterfly fossils are rare. The earliest butterfly fossils are from the early Cretaceous period, about 130 million years ago. Their development is closely linked to the evolution of flowering plants (angiosperms) since both adult butterflies and caterpillars feed on flowering plants, and the adults are important pollinators of many flowering plants. Flowering plants also evolved during the Cretaceous period. 

• QUESTION 

1. What a kingdom and phylum of butterfly?
2. What a class and order of butterfly?
3.  What a life cycle of butterfly?
4. Where can we see a butterfly?
5. What can butterfly eat?https://canva.me/2QMAUh69M0