Butterfly Information

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For centuries a great deal of the butterfly information learned
was based on observation. Scientific advances have enabled scientists and lepidopterans to compile knowledge that goes far beyond all the subjects discussed on this page.

Photo: PhotoFarmer

Although differences in opinions vary within the scientific community, depending on the subject, what is agreed on is any observations once believed solid conclusions will be proven wrong based on new observations of butterflies behaviors today.

Examples of this often lie in butterfly host plants.

When science believes they have a complete list of preferred host plants for butterfly species, observation shows those butterflies will be utilizing new and completely different host plants for caterpillars later.

The question for scientists and lepidopterans then becomes this:

Is this a new, evolving host plant to the species or have they been
using it all along and has science now just caught up with it?

Life of a butterfly is influenced by the habitats from which they come and also genome, or genetic constitution. Elements in butterfly habitats include climate, soil, topography, host plants and other food sources. Susceptibility to elements such as competition between species, parasites, predators, fires and more can also factor in.

Through these elements science learns evolving habitats why the same butterfly species will vary from one geographic location to another a few short miles away.

Butterfly species are also likely to display stereotypical behaviors if placed in similar habitats beyond their native environment. Given different geographic regions it's likely there will be a considerable variation in the usual behaviors. Science continues to study butterflies keeping in mind as external elements change, so may butterflies behavior.

As far as butterfly life - collectively for all butterfly species life is short. Depending on the species life can be from one week to one year, with the average life span of a butterfly being one month. Those butterflies that do live up to one year will likely go through a hibernation period or butterfly migration to warmer climates for winter.

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Although science studies animals to insects and beyond, butterflies are studied with a mystique that has fascinated the world for centuries. So what's the mystery behind understanding these whimsically beautiful fluttering creatures so delicate in nature? This is where we begin.

• Butterfly Symbolism

Holometabolous is a term to describe complete metamorphosis within four stages.


These four stages include the egg, larva, pupa and adult stage. Included in this category are butterflies and other insects such
as beetles, flies, ants and bees.

Photo: Michael Hodge

Discussed are the facts about butterflies four stages of holometabolous.

• The Butterfly Egg Stage
• The Butterfly Larva Stage
• The Butterfly Pupa Stage
• The Emerging Butterfly - The Adult

There would be no butterfly metamorphosis if it didn't start with this:

• Butterfly Mating

Constructing a butterfly garden may not peak your curiosity to the following subjects - at least for now. But when you find a butterfly beneath a plant that makes you wonder how it died, you begin to wonder...

• Butterfly Anatomy Overview
• Chemoreceptors
• Butterfly Wings

There is so much science has learned that butterfly information resources could focus on wings of butterflies and how they are the biggest key to survival only.

• Butterfly Colors
• Butterfly Migration
• Monarch Butterflies Migration along the Lake Erie Shores in Ohio.

Butterflies are called WHAT???

• Lepidoptera

Following is a breakdown of the six major 'true-buttefly' lepidoptera. There are more families than what is listed but keep in mind most are sub-families that fall under these categories. Each of these pages will help you with butterfly identification.

• Papilionidae Family - Swallowtail Butterflies
• Nymphalidae Family - Brushfooted Butterflies
• Pieridae Family - The Little White Butterflies
• Lycaenidae Family - Gossamer-Winged Butterflies
• Riodinidae Family - Metalmark Butterfly
• Hesperiidae Family - Skipper Butterfly

Morphology is the study of form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features. Building upon this base is the understanding sexual dimorphism, polymorphism and gynandromorph. We'll just call this..

• The Morph Page

Mimicry is another chapter in the wings of butterflies. Survival can also depend on mimicry, the most noted of them being Batesian Mimicry.

• The Mimicry Page

This bacteria is known as the male killer

• Wolbachia

This is a detailed butterfly glossary page. When viewing the definitions just click on the the term and it will take you to the page where you can find more butterfly information on the subject.

• Butterfly Glossary from A to Z

Concluding the butterfly information page we start to focus on your garden. Let's start with understanding what a butterfly host plant is.

• Butterfly Host Plants

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