My butterfly how does it work

Larva noun, plural: larvae - the worm-like second stage of the butterfly life cycle, also called a caterpillar. Life cycle noun - the phases or changes that an insect goes through from the egg stage until its death as an adult. Mandibles noun - tooth-like jaws present in insects with chewing mouthparts. Caterpillars have mandibles, but adult butterflies do not.

Metamorphosis noun - the marked changes in appearance and habit that occur during development, from the growing stage s to the mature, adult stage.

Butterflies undergo "complete metamorphosis" and their appearance changes completely from the larval to adult stage.

Insects which go through a "simple metamorphosis", such as a grasshopper, change only gradually in appearance during these stages. Migration noun - the mass movement of an animal species across many miles in order to escape unfavorable conditions.

Some butterflies, such as the monarch, may migrate thousands of miles in order to avoid winter conditions. Other types of butterflies may only migrate a relatively short distance. Also, migrate verb. Molt verb - to lose the old skin or exoskeleton. The insect grows a larger one to replace the one that is shed. Perching verb - landing on a tall plant or other object for the purpose of searching out a mate. Pheromone noun - a chemical given off by an animal and meant to cause a specific reaction in another of the same species.

Butterflies give off pheromones in order to attract a mate. Proboscis noun - a straw-like, flexible tongue that uncoils when the butterfly sips liquid food and then coils up again into a spiral when the butterfly is not feeding. Proleg noun - a fleshy leg or "false leg" attached to the abdomen of certain insect larvae. Puddling verb - sipping nutrient-rich water from puddles. Generally more males that females puddle and it is believed that the salts and nutrients in the puddles are needed for successful mating.

Pupa noun, pl. Scales noun - tiny modified hairs which overlap on a butterfly wing. The scales give the butterfly wings their color and beauty. Stage noun - one of the distinct periods in an insect's life. Butterflies have four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Thorax noun - the second segment in an insect's body, located in the mid-section. Butterfly wings and legs are attached to the thorax.

Vein noun - the rib-like tubes that give support to insect wings. The veins are tubes mostly filled with air. The university does not review, control or take responsibility for the contents of those sites. Send mail to cgcass0 uky. This site was last updated on October 29, An Equal Opportunity University. Site design : Academic Web Pages. All about butterflies. All about butterflies Index What is a butterfly? What is a butterfly? Back to index The difference between a butterfly and a moth?

Back to index Butterfly life cycle A life cycle is made up of the stages that a living organism goes through during its lifetime from beginning to end. Back to index Butterfly activities Butterflies are complex creatures. Back to index Feeding The larval or caterpillar stage and the adult butterfly have very different food preferences, largely due to the differences in their mouth parts. Back to index Basking Butterflies are cold-blooded , meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature.

Back to index Puddling When butterflies get too hot, they may head for shade or for cool areas like puddles. Back to index Patrolling and perching There are two methods that a male butterfly might use in order to search for a female mate.

Back to index Mating A male butterfly has several methods of determining whether he has found a female of his own species. Back to index Egg-laying After mating with a male, the female butterfly must go in search of a plant on which to lay her eggs. Back to index Hibernating Butterflies are cold-blooded and cannot withstand winter conditions in an active state.

Back to index Migrating Another way that butterflies can escape cold weather is by migrating to a warmer region. Back to index Camouflage Butterflies and caterpillars are preyed upon by birds, spiders, lizards and various other animals. Back to index Butterfly Words Glossary Abdomen noun - the last segment of an insect's body, located at the tail end. Mating verb - the pairing of a female and male in order to breed and produce offspring. Nectar noun - the sugary, sweet liquid produced by many flowers.

When in the fourth and final stage of their lives, adult butterflies are constantly on the look out to reproduce and when a female lays their eggs on some leaves, the butterfly life cycle will start all over. There are many different ways that you can catch this miracle happen right before your eyes, for instance, there are live butterfly kits that come with caterpillars so you can see this amazing transformation right in front of you!

One of the greatest things about these live butterfly kits is the fact that after the butterflies hatch out of their pupas, you can observe them for a little while and then let them go!

Letting your butterflies go is not only a satisfying experience but it is one that is very important to teach your children. Children have to learn that animals do not need to be locked up and while it is okay to observe them sometimes, it is always best to let nature take its course.

This amazing life cycle is a great lesson for anyone to learn and it is not only a lesson that involves an ever-changing insect, but it is one that we can apply to ourselves as well. For instance, when a child is feeling down on themselves, you can explain to them that not only do people change inside every day, but insects like the butterfly do too.

The butterfly life cycle is a great story to tell anyone and everyone and it is even better to observe it happen right in front of you.

Live butterfly kits allow you to see for yourself the entire life cycle of this incredible creature and allows your children to learn more and more about these beautiful insects! Our articles are free for you to copy and distribute. Make sure to give www. Bees in Hive. Butterfly Eggs on a Leaf. Butterfly Caterpillar. Caterpillar Becoming a Chrysalis. Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player. Opler and Krizek discuss this difficult question in Butterflies East of the Great Plains , where they state that the expected life span, which is usually much shorter than the maximum life span because of weather, predators, and many other factors , ranges from about 2 to 14 days.

Maximum life span ranges from about 4 days for the Spring Azure to 10 to 11 months for the Mourning Cloak. Just as with people, females generally live longer than males. Butterflies which hibernate or go into reproductive diapause also tend to live longer. Butterflies and moths both belong to a group of insects called "lepidoptera", meaning that they have wings covered with scales. They are related in many ways. Butterflies are generally brightly-colored while moths are generally drab, though they are many dramatic exceptions to this.

Almost all butterflies are active during the day, and most but by no means all moths are active at night. A good way to tell the difference is by their antennae. Butterfly antennae are shaped somewhat like a golf club, with a long shaft. Most moths have either simple filaments tapering to a point, or complicated affairs with many cross-filaments.

Worldwide, there are approximately 28, species. There are about species in the USA and Canada. About 2, species have been found in Mexico. The United Kingdom has 58 species of butterfly and 2, species of moth. At night or during bad weather, butterflies will usually hang from the undersides of leaves, or crawl into crevices between rocks or other objects, and sleep. Adult butterflies sip nectar from flowers through their tongues, which act like straws. A very few butterflies do not visit flowers, but instead feed on tree sap or rotting organic material.

You can feed butterflies with a butterfly feeder and homemade nectar. Mix 1 part sugar to 9 parts water. Boil this solution for a few minutes. Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American.

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