Butterflies internal and external structure. Morphology of Lepidoptera. The most beautiful insects

12.06.2019

Recently, my granddaughter and I did the Butterfly craft from plasticine, which you can see. And today we will try to tell the children about butterflies in more detail.

The most beautiful, most elegant, most beloved insects are butterflies. As soon as the sun warms and the flowers bloom, they begin to flutter from flower to flower and immediately catch our eye. Children enjoy watching them. They excite them. In many fairy tales, good fairies are depicted, elves with wings like butterflies. They are a symbol of kindness, purity and light.

Previously, people believed that butterflies were descended from plants that had come off.

How can you tell children about butterflies?

The appearance of butterflies.

Consider the structure of a butterfly with the children. The butterfly has a head, body, wings covered with scales. The scales refract light, shimmering like a rainbow, forming a beautiful pattern. Tell your child that butterflies should not be caught or touched by the wings. You can remove the paint. In fact, butterfly wings are transparent, like those of a bee or a fly. And scales give color. Therefore, they are called Lepidoptera. Coloring is very different. We see it both in nature and in pictures. Sometimes the coloration is protective.

The butterfly has antennae and a coiled proboscis. When a butterfly lands on a flower, it unfolds its proboscis, puts it inside the flower and drinks the nectar. If a butterfly flies from flower to flower, it will carry pollen and the pollinated plants will have more seeds.

Butterfly life cycle.

Insect butterflies with complete transformation. The life cycle consists of 4 stages. Egg-larva (caterpillar) - pupa and adult butterfly.

Butterflies lay eggs, which then hatch into caterpillars. They are unattractive, actively eat the leaves of plants, grow rapidly. This causes damage to plants. There are caterpillars miscellaneous flowers, coloring, some smooth, others with hairs. When the caterpillar phase ends, it turns into a chrysalis. The pupa is usually brown and immobile. The pupal stage lasts from several days to several years. And then the chrysalis bursts and a butterfly emerges from it. She first sits and dries her wings. And then it starts to fly. This is the transformation of a butterfly.

Children often see caterpillars, they are unpleasant.

Riddles about caterpillars.

Tell the children riddles about caterpillars. You can do crafts so that the guys remember better how caterpillars make such beautiful butterflies.

crawling on the grass,

Hanging in a cocoon

But the time will come

And fly into the sky.

(caterpillar and butterfly)

Butterfly's daughter

All in small bright dots,

crawling slowly

Leaves gnaw.

(Caterpillar)

Where the leaf beetle crawled,

The trace disappeared from the sheet.

(Caterpillar )

Julia made this application-life cycle of a butterfly.

What are butterflies.

Butterflies are very different. To tell children about the variety of butterflies, you can look at books, encyclopedias, and if possible, go to a museum where there are butterflies.

The most common butterfly is the urticaria. Beautiful, colorful, orange with black dots. It is called urticaria because its caterpillar can eat nettles.

Lemongrass is bright. yellow butterfly. It can often be confused with a leaf.

The cabbage white is a very common butterfly, white with black dots. Her caterpillars eat cabbage leaves. Look at the pictures of various butterflies. Let the children remember them, and then on a walk they will try to guess what kind of butterfly flies. Yulia already recognizes some butterflies in nature.

More can be seen butterfly cartoon. Children love such bright cartoons.

Butterfly protection.

Don't forget to tell your kids to take care of butterflies. You can't catch them, kill them. many butterflies are already listed in the Red Book. Of course, there are caterpillars and butterflies that harm agriculture. For example, cabbage caterpillars reduce yields of cabbage and apples. But a huge number of butterflies are either neutral or useful and must be protected. For example, we use natural silk fabrics from cocoons that caterpillars weave silkworm. Butterflies are important as pollinators. To control weeds, caterpillars are used, which feed on one type of weed. Butterflies must also be protected because they are very beautiful and adorn fields, meadows and forests.

Here is another Julia butterfly app.

Results:

1. Introduced children to the appearance of butterflies

2. Considered its life cycle

3. Riddles about caterpillars

4. Made an application.

5. Considered a variety of butterflies and watched a cartoon.

6. We talked about protecting butterflies.

This is how you can introduce our children to beautiful butterfly insects. You can also draw butterflies, decorate pictures. Invent games.

Write your comments. Now it's summer. Many rest, there is little time to visit. But anyway, I look forward to your feedback.

What else can you see:

Of all insects, butterflies are the most famous. There is hardly a person in the world who would not admire them in the same way as they admire beautiful flowers. No wonder in ancient rome It was believed that butterflies originated from flowers detached from plants. In all corners of the world, there are amateurs who collect butterflies with as much passion as other collectors collect works of art.

The beauty of a butterfly is in its wings, in their various colors. At the same time, the wings are the most important systematic feature of the detachment: they are covered with scales, the structure and location of which determine the bizarre coloration. That's why butterflies are called Lepidoptera. Scales are modified hairs. This is easy to verify if you carefully consider the scaly cover of the butterfly Apollo(Parnassius Apollo). Along the edge of the wing there are very narrow scales, almost hairs, closer to the middle they are expanded, but their ends are sharp, and, finally, even closer to the base of the wing, there are wide scales in the form of a flattened, hollow pouch attached to the wing by means of a thin short stalk ( Fig. 318).

The scales are located on the wing in pranile rows across the wing: the ends of the scales face the lateral margin of the wing, and their bases are covered in a tiled manner by the ends of the previous row. The color of the scale depends on the pigment grains in it; its outer surface is ribbed. In addition to such pigmented scales, many species, especially tropical ones, whose wings are distinguished by iridescent metallic coloration, have scales of a different type - optical.

There is no pigment in such scales, and the characteristic metallic coloration occurs due to the decomposition of white sunbeam into individual colored rays of the spectrum as it passes through optical flakes. This decomposition of the rays is achieved by their refraction in the sculpture of the scales, which causes a change in color when the direction in which the rays fall is changed. Of particular interest are the odorous scales, or androconia, found predominantly in males of certain species of butterflies. These are modified scales or hairs associated with special glands that secrete an odorous secret. Androconia are located on different parts of the body - on the legs, wings, on the abdomen. The smell they spread serves as a bait for the female, thus ensuring the convergence of the sexes; often it is pleasant, reminiscent in some cases of the aroma of vanilla, mignonette, strawberry, etc., but sometimes it can also be unpleasant, such as the smell of mold. It should be emphasized that for each species of butterflies, both the shape and the optical and Chemical properties scales on the wings. In rare cases, the scales on the wings are absent, and then the wings appear completely transparent, as is the case with glass cases.

Usually, all four wings are developed in Lepidoptera; however, in females of some species, wings may be underdeveloped or absent altogether. The forewings are always larger than the hindwings. In many species, both pairs of wings interlock with each other using a special hook, or "bridle", which is a chitinous bristle or tuft of hairs attached at one end to the upper side. leading edge of the hind wing, and with the other end entering the pocket-like appendage on the underside of the forewing. There may be other forms of scoring mechanisms connecting the front and rear fenders.

Not less than hallmark than the structure of the wings and the scales covering them are the mouth organs of butterflies (Fig. 320). In the vast majority of cases, they are represented by a soft proboscis that can coil and unfold like a clock spring. The basis of this oral apparatus is made up of strongly elongated inner lobes of the lower jaws, which form the flaps of the proboscis. The upper jaws are absent or represented by small tubercles; The lower lip also underwent a strong reduction, although its palps are well developed and consist of 3 segments. The proboscis of a butterfly is very elastic and mobile; it is perfectly adapted to feeding on liquid food, which in most cases is the nectar of flowers. The length of the proboscis of one or another species usually corresponds to the depth of the nectar in those flowers that the butterflies visit. So, in Madagascar, one interesting orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale) grows with a corolla depth of 25-30 cm. It is pollinated long-proboscis hawk hawk(Macrosila morgani), which has a proboscis about 35 cm long. In some cases, the flowing sap of trees, liquid excrement of aphids and other sugary substances can serve as a source of liquid food for Lepidoptera. In some butterflies that do not feed, the proboscis may be underdeveloped or completely absent ( fine worms, some moths and etc.).

Flying from flower to flower, butterflies can carry pollen on themselves and thereby contribute to the cross-pollination of plants. A very peculiar relationship developed among the South American yucca moth(Pronuba juccasella), belonging to the Prodoxidae family, and yucca (Jucca filamentosa). Moth caterpillars feed on the ovaries of yucca flowers that develop after fertilization, which is unable to self-pollinate. The transfer of pollen is carried out by the female moth; with the help of tentacles, she collects wet pollen from the stamens of the yucca and flies to another flower. Here she lays an egg inside the pistil and then places a pollen ball on the stigma of this pistil. Thus, the setting of yucca seeds depends entirely on the female moth; at the same time, some of the developing seeds are destroyed by the caterpillars of this pollinator. Yuccas do not bloom every year; it is curious that butterflies may not fly out annually, since their pupae are capable of a long stay in a dormant state, sometimes lasting for several years.

Nectar is collected by various species of Lepidoptera at different times of the day. Some of them fly during the day, others at dusk or even at night.

The daily lifestyle is characteristic primarily for the so-called diurnal or club butterflies. This is the name of a complex (series) of Lepidoptera families, distinguished by club-shaped antennae ( sailboats, whites, nymphalids, heliconids, morphids, pigeons). They have a strong and long proboscis, with which they suck nectar from flowers. The wings are wide, raised up at rest (with rare exceptions), there is no hook on the hind wings.

The amazing colors of the wings of diurnal butterflies are admired; their upper side is usually colored brightly and variegated, while the colors of the lower side often imitate the color and pattern of bark, leaves, etc. The creator of the first scientific taxonomy of animals, the famous Swede Carl Linnaeus, was especially fond of diurnal butterflies. Giving names to the species he described, he looked for them in the myths of classical antiquity. This has become a tradition among lepidopterologists, that is, scientists who study butterflies. Therefore, so often among the names of diurnal butterflies there are names ancient greek gods and favorite heroes: Apollo, Cyprida, Io, Hector, Menelaus, Laertes. They seem to symbolize everything bright, strong and beautiful that pleases and delights a person.

Interesting biological significance bright, variegated colors of the upper side of the wings, so often observed in club butterflies, especially in nymphalides. Their main significance is to recognize individuals of their own species at a great distance. Observations show that males and females of such motley-colored forms are attracted to each other from a distance by their coloration, and close by, the final recognition takes place by the smell emitted by androconia. To check, they cut off the wings of live mother-of-pearl and glued the wings of whites in their place. The operated specimens were exhibited on the lawn and whites, mostly males, soon flew to them. It was possible to lure male butterflies to artificial images of females of their species.

If the upper side of the wings of nymphalids is always brightly colored, then a different type of coloration is characteristic of their lower side: they are, as a rule, critical, i.e., protective. In this regard, two types of wing folding are of interest, the widespread unymphalids, as well as in other families of diurnal butterflies. In the first case, the butterfly, being in a resting position, pushes the front wings forward so that their lower surface, which has a protective color, is open almost throughout (Fig. 322, 1). Wings are folded according to this type, for example, corner wings C-white(Polygonia C-album). Her upper side is brown-yellow with dark spots and an outer border; the underside is grey-brown with a white "C" on the hindwings, which is how it got its name. A motionless butterfly is hardly noticeable also due to the irregular angular contour of the wings.

Other types such as admiral and burdock, hide the front wings between the hind wings so that only their tips are visible (Fig. 322, 2). In this case, two types of coloration are expressed on the lower surface of the wings: that part of the forewings, which is hidden at rest, is brightly colored, the rest of the lower surface of the wings is clearly cryptic in nature.

In many nymphalids, especially in tropical forms, an imitative resemblance to leaves is observed, when the characteristic color of dry or living leaves, their contours and specific venation are reproduced. A classic example in this respect is the Indo-Malay leafy butterflies of the genus Callima(Kallima). The upper side of the wings of the callima is colored brightly and variegated, and the lower side of its color and pattern resembles a dry leaf. The resemblance to a leaf in a sitting butterfly is enhanced by the fact that its upper wing is pointed at the top, and the lower wing has a small tail imitating the petiole of a leaf (Table 16, 4).

In all these cases, the variegation of coloration depends on the distribution of pigments in the scales covering the wing. Numerous experiments have shown that the deposition of pigments depends to a large extent on the temperature factor affecting the pupae. When raising pupae at low temperatures (from 0 to 10 ° C), adult forms can be obtained with strong development dark pigment melanin. Yes, at mourners when exposed to low temperatures, its pupa darkens the general background of the wing, blue spots decrease, and melanin in the form of black dots is deposited along the entire yellow strip along the outer edge of the wings. It is quite characteristic that similar changes are caused by keeping the pupae of the mourning house at a high temperature, about 35-37 ° C. This explains the different coloration of the same species in different climatic conditions. In this regard, the constant seasonal variability at changeable motley(Arasch nialevana), which develops in two generations, differing from each other in color. In the spring generation, the wings are rufous-red, with a complex black pattern and white spots at the top of the forewing; the summer generation has brownish-black wings with white or yellowish-white spots on the forewing and the same band on the hindwing.

Among tropical species are especially beautiful and peculiar morphides(Morphidae), represented by only one genus (Morpho). These are large butterflies, reaching a wingspan of 15-18 cm. The upper side of their wings is painted in blue or blue, strongly iridescent metallic colors. This coloration depends on the fact that the wing is covered with optic scales, and the lower part of the optic plates is pigmented; the pigment does not transmit light and thereby gives a greater brightness to the interference color of the ribs. In males, for example, in 45 Morpho cypris shown on the color table, the luster of the wing is extremely strong and gives the impression of polished metal. In combination with the large size of morphids, this leads to the fact that in bright sunlight each wing stroke is visible for a third of a kilometer. Morphids are among the most visible insects that inhabit the rainforests of the Amazon. Especially a lot of them on clearings and sunlit roads. They fly at high altitude; some of them do not descend to the ground closer than 6 m at all.

In some cases, diurnal butterflies have brightly colored upper and lower sides of the wings. Such a color is usually combined with the inedibility of the organism possessing it, which is why it was called warning. Warning coloration is characteristic, for example, of heliconids. Heliconides(Heliconidae) is a peculiar family of endemic mace butterflies, which includes about 150 species distributed in South America. Their wings are very variegated, mostly orange with a contrasting pattern of black and yellow stripes and spots (Table 17). Many of the heliconids have a nasty smell and unpleasant taste, and therefore they are not touched by birds. Butterflies abound under the shade of the lush Amazon rainforest. By their behavior and habits, they seem to demonstrate their invulnerability. Their flight is slow, heavy; they always keep in swarms, and not only in the air during flight, but also at rest, when the swarm descends into the crown of a tree. Strong smell, emanating from the accumulation of resting butterflies, largely protects them from enemies.

The famous English scientist Bethe, studying the behavior of heliconids, discovered a curious phenomenon called mimicry. Mimicry refers to the similarities in color, shape, and behavior between two or more species of insects. Characteristically, mimicking species always have a bright warning (demonstration) coloration.

In butterflies, mimicry is expressed in the fact that some of the mimic species are inedible, while others are devoid of protective properties and only “imitate” their protected models. Such imitators, for which heliconids serve as models, are white butterflies - dysmorphia(Dismorphia astynome) and perhybris(Reghybris pyrrha). They stay in flocks of flying and resting heliconids, imitating them in the shape and color of their wings, as well as in flight.

Later it turned out that mimicry is quite widespread among Lepidoptera, and the forms of its manifestation are different. So, in one of the African species sailboats(Papilio dardanus) sexual dimorphism is well expressed: males have tails on the hind wings, the general color of the wings is yellow with dark stripes; in females, the hindwings are rounded, without tails. At the same time, females are represented by several forms that are very different from each other (Fig. 323); each form reproduces a certain type of coloring characteristic of a certain type of inedible butterfly danaid(Danaidae). The form hippocoon has blue spots on both wings, like its model (Atauris niavius); the sepea form has blue spots only on the forewings, while the bases of the hindwings are yellow, as in another model (Amauris echeria).

Peculiar manifestation of mimicry in butterflies glassware(Aegeriidae), which in their appearance rather resemble Hymenoptera or large flies than Lepidoptera. This imitative similarity is achieved due to the characteristic structure of the wings and the general contours of the body. The wings of the glass-cases are almost devoid of a cover of scales and therefore transparent, vitreous; the hindwings are shorter than the forewings, and the scales on them are concentrated only on the veins. The body is rather slender, with a long belly protruding far behind the wings; antennae filiform or slightly thickened in middle.

Unlike butterflies that fly during the day, species that feed on nectar at dusk or at night have a different type of coloration. The upper side of their forewings is always colored to match the substrate they sit on during the day. At rest, the front wings are folded along the back in a roof-like manner or like a flat triangle, covering the lower wings and abdomen. A motionless butterfly becomes invisible.

The color of the hind wings is most often monophonic, soft. However, in some cases, for example, in scoops, tapeworms, bears and hawks, it can be bright, warning. Yes, at red ribbon(Catocala nupta, pl. 16, 11) hindwings are brick-red with black bands; yellow(C. fulminea, tab. 16, 10) - ocher-yellow with a black median band and the same outer edge, in blue(S. fraxini, pl. 16, 9) - blue with a black border and a median band. At common dipper(Arctia caja, pl. 16, 12) hind wings are red with large dark blue, almost black spots; abdomen with black spots.

In a calm state during the day, butterflies sit on tree trunks with their wings folded and therefore invisible; when threatened with an attack, they spread their front wings and display a deterrent signal in the form of brightly colored lower wings, and sometimes the abdomen.

A distinctive protective coloration silver hole(Phalerabucephala). Its front wings are silvery white with a large yellow spot in the outer corner; hind wings grey. During the day, the butterfly sits on a tree with folded roof-like wings. At this time, it can be mistaken for a piece of a branch. At the same time, yellow spots on the slightly concave ends of the forewings reproduce the appearance of bare wood (Tables 16, 14).

Lepidoptera are insects with complete metamorphosis. Their eggs are very diverse in shape, usually colored, the shell often has a complex structure. Butterfly larvae are called caterpillars (Table 46, 1-16).

In most cases they are worm-shaped; the body consists of a head, 3 thoracic and 10 abdominal rings. Unlike adult Lepidoptera, their caterpillars always have gnawing mouthparts. In addition to three pairs of thoracic legs, the caterpillars also have the so-called "false" or "abdominal" legs, which can be up to 5 pairs; they are usually placed on the third-sixth and ninth abdominal segments. The ventral legs are not dissected, and their soles are covered with chitinous hooks. specific physiological feature caterpillars is the presence of a pair of tubular spinning, or silk-secreting, glands that open with a common channel on the lower lip. They are altered salivary glands in which the main function of salivation has been replaced by silk production. The secretions of these glands quickly harden in the air, forming a silk thread, with the help of which some caterpillars fasten leaves rolled into a tube, others hang in the air, descending from a branch, and others surround themselves and the branches on which they sit with cobwebs. Finally, in caterpillars, silk thread is used to build a cocoon, inside which pupation takes place.

According to the way of life of caterpillars can be divided into two groups:

1) free-living caterpillars that live more or less openly on plants;

2) caterpillars leading a hidden lifestyle. Free-living caterpillars live on both herbaceous and woody plants, feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruits.

The transition to a hidden lifestyle is living in portable cases, which the caterpillars weave from silky threads. Moving through the plant, the caterpillars carry their cover on themselves, hiding in it in case of danger. This is what caterpillars do, for example. butterflies. The same intermediate position between these two biological groups is occupied by sheeters. This is the name of caterpillars that build shelters from leaves, rolling them up and fastening the rolled parts with a silky thread. When building such a shelter, one or more leaves are used. Many caterpillars are characterized by rolling the leaf into a cigar-shaped tube.

Caterpillars living in "societies" usually arrange special, sometimes complex nests, braiding branches, leaves and other parts of plants with cobwebs. Large web nests form caterpillars apple ermine moth(Hyponomeuta malinellus), which are dangerous pests gardens and forests. Caterpillars live in large groups in spider web nests. marching silkworms(family Eupterotidae), which are distinguished by their peculiar behavior: in search of food, they go “hiking” in orderly rows, following each other in single file. So behave, for example, caterpillars oak walking silkworm (Thaumetopoea processionea, pl. 46, 2), occasionally found in the forests of southwestern Ukraine.

A butterfly of this species flies in August and September and lays eggs on oak bark in a bunch of several straight rows, 100-200 pieces in a bunch. The eggs overwinter, protected by a dense transparent film formed from the secretions of the female. Caterpillars hatched from eggs in May stay in groups in a web nest. When the leaves on the tree are already heavily eaten, they descend from it and crawl along the ground in search of food, always in a certain order: one caterpillar crawls in front, another follows, touching it with its hairs. In the middle of the column, the number of caterpillars in a row increases, first by 2, then by 3-4 caterpillars crawl side by side. Towards the end, the column narrows again. In July - early August, pupation occurs right there in the nest, and each caterpillar weaves an oval cocoon for itself. Butterflies fly out after two or three weeks.

All caterpillars that live inside various plant organs lead a hidden lifestyle. These include miners, codling moths, borers and gall formers.

Miners are called caterpillars that live inside leaves and their petioles and lay internal passages inside chlorophyll-bearing tissues - mines. Some miners do not eat out the entire contents of the leaf, but are limited to either individual sections of the parenchyma, or the epidermis.

The shape of the mines is very different. In some cases, a mine is laid in the form of a rounded spot (spotted mine); sometimes such a spot gives lateral processes, resembling a star (star-shaped mines). In other cases, the mine has the form of a gallery, very narrow at the base, but then greatly expanding at the top (tube-shaped mine). There are also narrow long mines, but strongly winding (serpentine mines) or spirally twisted (spiral mines).

When mining caterpillars live in groups inside a leaf, so-called swollen mines can occur. Yes, caterpillars lilac moth(Caloptilia syringella), which belongs to a special moth family(Gracillariidae), at first live several pieces together in one common mine, which has the shape of a wide spot, which can occupy most of the leaf. These mines are strongly swollen from the gases accumulating in them. The epidermis covering the mine quickly turns yellow. Later, the caterpillars emerge from their mines and, skeletonizing the leaves, twist them into tubes. Before pupation, they go into the ground. There are two generations during the summer; the chrysalis hibernates at the lilac moth.

Caterpillars - codling moth live inside the fruits of various plants. Some of them damage the pulp of fruits, others feed exclusively on seeds. Caterpillars - drillers live in the stems of herbaceous plants or inside the branches and trunks of shrubs and trees. Among the drillers are especially characteristic glassware(family Aegeriidae) and woodworms(Cossidae).

Most types of glassware develop in the trunks of woody plants, causing them serious damage. Among the widespread forest pests in Europe, it is necessary to include large poplar glass(Aegeria apiformis).

Females of this species lay their eggs on the lower part of tree trunks, mainly poplars. Caterpillars (Tables 46, 14) develop over the course of two years, feeding on wood in which they make passages. In the third year in spring, they pupate in a cradle under the bark in a special dense cocoon of sawdust and excrement. Before the butterfly emerges, the chrysalis 2/3 protrudes from the flight hole; even after the departure of the butterfly, the pupal skin continues to maintain this position.

Some types of wood borers are also dangerous for forestry, for example odoriferous woodworm(Cossus cossus) and corrosive woodweed(Zeuzera pyrina). The female of the fragrant wood borer lays her eggs in groups of 20-70 pieces in bark cracks on the trunks of willows, poplars, alders, elms and oaks. Development takes place over two years. Young caterpillars bite under the bark, where they make a general course of irregular shape, in which they hibernate. On the next year the caterpillars diverge and each of them, delving into the wood, gnaws out a wide, mostly longitudinal course in it. Caterpillars are 16-legged, with a dark brown head and a pinkish body, the shade of which changes during life; by the end of development they reach a length of 10-12 cm (Table 46, 15). The woodworm is called odorous because the caterpillar emits a sharp, unpleasant smell of wood alcohol; the wood damaged by it spreads the same smell. Although the odorous borer most often colonizes old and diseased trees, it can also be dangerous for healthy trees in cases where it forms small but stable perennial foci.

Caterpillars of the corrosive woodworm (Tables 46, 16) are polyphagous: they damage more than 70 tree species, including ash, elm, apple, pear, etc. The females of this species lay eggs one at a time on the tops of young shoots, in the leaf axils and kidneys. After leaving the egg, the caterpillars bite into the young shoots and petioles of the leaves, causing the damaged leaves to dry out and fall off prematurely. By autumn, the caterpillars move to young branches, in the wood of which they gnaw out passages. Here they winter. The next year, after overwintering, the caterpillars resume their harmful activities and, as they grow, descend lower and lower along the tree. They spend the second wintering in the passages laid in the middle and lower parts of the tree. Pupation occurs in May-June, the caterpillar pupates without a cocoon in the upper part of the passage where it hibernated.

There are very few true gall formers among caterpillars. Most of them are known from leaf roller families(Tortricidae). The damage they cause most often consists in ugly swellings of those organs of the plant, inside which the development of caterpillars occurs. Laspeyresia servillana causes blisters in willow stems, and Epiblema lacteana develops in thickened stems of sagebrush.

The life of Lepidoptera is very peculiar, the caterpillars of which develop in the aquatic environment. In the middle of summer, along the banks of reservoirs, the surface of which is covered with leaves of white lilies and yellow water lilies, you can often find a small butterfly with beautiful yellowish wings, the complex pattern of which consists of strongly curved brown lines and irregular whitish spots located between them (Fig. 324). This is water lily, or swamp, moth(Hydrocampa nymphaeata). She lays her eggs on the leaves of various aquatic plants, from their lower side. The greenish larvae hatching from the eggs first mine plant tissues. At this time, their spiracles are greatly reduced, so breathing occurs through the surface of the skin. After molting, the caterpillar leaves a mine and builds a special cover from cut pieces of pondweed and water lilies, while breathing remains the same. The caterpillar hibernates in this cap, and in the spring leaves it and builds a new cap. To do this, she gnaws two oval or round pieces from the sheet with her jaws, which she fastens on the sides with a cobweb. Such a case is always filled with air; at this stage, the caterpillar has fully developed stigmas and tracheae, and it now breathes atmospheric air. Crawling over aquatic plants, the caterpillar carries the sheath with it in the same way as caddisflies do. It feeds by scraping the skin and pulp from the leaves of aquatic plants with its jaws. Pupation takes place in the cap.

A gray caterpillar also lives in covers under water. duckweed moth(Cataclysta lemnata), but the building material in this case is duckweed, the individual plates of which are fastened with cobwebs. Before pupation, the caterpillar usually leaves its case and crawls into some kind of reed or reed tube.

The greenish caterpillar is even more adapted to aquatic life. body-cut moth(Ragaropukh stratiotata), found on the leaves of telorez, pondweed, hornwort and other plants. She lives exclusively under water in the wrong cases or without cases at all. It breathes with tracheal gills, which, in the form of long soft branched outgrowths, are located in 5 pairs almost on each segment.

At underwater moth(Acentropus niveus) females are found in two forms - winged and almost wingless, in which only small rudiments of wings are preserved. Wingless females lay their eggs underwater. The olive-green caterpillar, living on the surface of the leaves of pondweed and other plants, makes itself a small tire from a bit that has been bitten off. Pupation occurs in a cocoon attached to the stems or the lower surface of the leaf (Fig. 326).

In close connection with the way of life of caterpillars are the shape and color of their body. Caterpillars that lead an open lifestyle often have a cryptic coloration that harmonizes well with the surrounding background. The effectiveness of protective coloring can be increased due to the features of the pattern. So, in hawk caterpillars, oblique stripes pass along a common green or gray background, which divide the body into segments, making it even less conspicuous. Protective coloration, combined with a characteristic shape, often leads to the appearance of a protective resemblance to the parts of the plants on which the caterpillar lives. At moths, for example, caterpillars are similar to dry knots.

Along with the cryptic coloration, caterpillars that lead an open lifestyle also have a bright demonstration coloration, indicating their inedibility. The effect of this coloration depends not only on the color of the outer integument, but also on the color of the hairline. An example is a caterpillar antique wave(Orgyia antiqua), which has a very bizarre appearance; she is gray or yellowish with black and red spots and with tufts of black hair of various lengths; on the dorsal side, the yellow hairs are collected in four dense brushes (Pl. 46, 9). Some caterpillars at the moment of danger take a threatening posture. These include the caterpillar of a large harpy (Cerura vinula), which has a very peculiar different shape: it has a large flat head, a body wide in the anterior part, strongly tapering towards the posterior end, at the top of which there is a “fork”, consisting of two strongly odorous threads. It is worth disturbing the caterpillar, as it immediately assumes a threatening posture, lifting up the front part of the body and the tip of the abdomen with a “fork” (Table 46, 1).

Caterpillars that lead a hidden lifestyle are of a different type: they do not have bright color combinations. Most often, they are characterized by monotonous pale colors: whitish, light yellowish or pinkish.

The pupa in Lepidoptera has an ovoid, elongated shape, with a pointed posterior end (Fig. 327). Its dense outer covers form a hard shell; all appendages and limbs are soldered to the body, as a result of which the surface of the pupa becomes continuous, the legs and wings cannot be separated from the body without violating the integrity of the integuments. Such a chrysalis is called an open chrysalis. She cannot move, but she retains some mobility of the last segments of the abdomen. The pupae of diurnal butterflies are very bizarre: usually angular, often with a metallic sheen, without a cocoon. They are attached to various subjects, moreover, they either hang head down (hanging chrysalis), or are girded with a thread, and then their head is turned upwards (belted chrysalis).

In many Lepidoptera, caterpillars weave a silky cocoon before pupation, in which the pupa develops. In some species, the amount of silk in the cocoon is so great that it is of great practical interest. Since ancient times, sericulture has been a very important industry.

The main producer of natural silk in the USSR is silkworm(Bombyx mori), referring to family of true silkworms(Bombycidae). Currently, this species does not exist in nature in the wild. Its homeland, apparently, is the Himalayas, from where it was brought to China, where sericulture began to develop in 2500 BC. e. In Europe, this branch of production arises around the 8th century; more than three hundred years ago, it penetrated into Russia.

In appearance, the silkworm is a nondescript butterfly with a thick, strongly hairy body and white wings, reaching 4-6 cm in span (Table 47, 2). Males differ from females in having a thinner abdomen and feathery antennae. Despite the presence of wings, butterflies have lost the ability to fly as a result of domestication.

Although the silkworm normally reproduces by mating males and females, in some cases it exhibits parthenogenesis. In 1886, the Russian zoologist A. A. Tikhomirov proved the possibility of artificially obtaining parthenogenesis in the silkworm as a result of stimulating unfertilized eggs with various mechanical, thermal, and chemical stimuli. This was the first case of obtaining artificial parthenogenesis. At the present time, artificial parthenogenesis has been obtained in many invertebrates (insects, echinoderms) and P03V.9H0CH animals (amphibians).

The silkworm caterpillar is known as the silkworm. It is large, up to 8 cm long, fleshy, whitish in color, with a horn-like appendage at the end of the abdomen. Crawls relatively slowly. When pupating, the caterpillar secretes one whole thread, up to 1000 m long, which it wraps around itself in the form of a silky cocoon.

Our main sericulture centers are located in Central Asia and in the Caucasus.

Their position is determined by the distribution of the host plant, which is the mulberry tree (mulberry). The advancement of sericulture further north is hampered by the absence of cold-resistant mulberry varieties.

In production, grena (eggs) of the silkworm is kept at a low temperature, and in the spring it is revived in special apparatus, where the temperature is maintained at about 25 ° C. Silkworms are bred in special rooms - worms, where “feeding whatnots” are placed. Mulberry leaves are laid out on them to feed the caterpillars; as needed, the leaves are replaced with fresh ones. The development of the caterpillar takes 40-80 days, during which time four molts pass. By the time of pupation, bundles of rods are placed on the whatnots, onto which the caterpillars crawl. Ready cocoons are collected, brewed with hot steam, and then unwound on special machines. One kilogram of raw cocoons can produce over 90 g of raw silk. As a result of selection, many breeds of silkworms have been created, differing in productivity, quality of silk thread and color of cocoons. The color of the cocoon can be white, pink, greenish and bluish.

The use of the latest methods of radiation selection made it possible to artificially increase the yield of silk. It has been found that caterpillar cocoons from which males develop always contain more silk. B. L. Astaurov showed that at a certain dose of X-ray irradiation of silkworm eggs, it is possible to kill the egg nucleus without violating the viability of the plasma. Such eggs are normally fertilized by sperm, and the caterpillars that develop from them later turn into males. This makes it possible to increase the yield of silk by 30%.

In addition to the silkworm, other types of butterflies are also used in sericulture, for example Chinese oak peacock(Antheraea pernyi), which has been bred in China for over 250 years. The silk obtained from its cocoons is used to make chesuchi. In the Soviet Union, work on the acclimatization of this butterfly has been carried out since 1924. We have favorable conditions for its culture in the Polissya regions of the Ukrainian and Byelorussian SSRs, where in the floodplains of the rivers there are natural massifs of undersized oak shoots.

Chinese oak peacock-eye (Table 47, 1) - a large butterfly (wingspan 12-15 cm); females are larger, reddish-fawn in color, males are grayish-fawn with a slight olive tint. A light stripe runs along the outer edge of the wings; on each wing there is a large eye with a transparent window. The oak peacock eye usually has two generations per year. Pupae of the second generation hibernate. After mating, which takes place at night, females lay eggs (gren); the average number of eggs laid is 160-170, in the summer generation it reaches 250. After 15 days, small black caterpillars appear from the eggs, which after the first molt change their color to green with a yellowish or bluish tint. Caterpillars develop on oak leaves; they can also feed on the leaves of willows, birch, hornbeam and hazel. Within 35-40 days they go through four molts and, reaching a length of 9 cm, begin to curl cocoons. Cocoon curling lasts from three to five days; after that, the caterpillar becomes immobile, and then molts and turns into a pupa, the development of which lasts 25-29 days. The pupae of the first generation are formed in mid-June; wintering pupae of the second generation - in mid-September.

Very large economic importance Lepidoptera as pests of agriculture and forestry. Over 1,000 species of Lepidoptera have been recorded on the territory of the Soviet Union, the caterpillars of which damage field, garden or forest crops. In the vast majority of cases, the pest complex is formed by representatives local fauna moving to cultivated fields from wild plants. In this regard, the history of the settlement of the sunflower is very curious. sunflower moth(Homoeosoma nebulella). This plant is native to North America; it came to Russia only in the 18th century and for a long time was considered decorative. Only since the 60s of the last century, sunflower has become an industrial oilseed crop in our country. For many years, its crops suffered from sunflower moth, which passed to it from wild plants, mainly from thistles. Butterflies of this pest lay their eggs on the inner walls of the anthers; caterpillars emerging from the eggs bite into the achenes and eat out the embryos in them. Modern armored varieties of sunflower, bred by Soviet breeders, are almost not damaged by moth due to the presence of a special shell layer in the achene peel, which the caterpillar cannot gnaw through.

The facts of importation of harmful Lepidoptera from other countries are known. More recently, in Europe, it has gained wide popularity american white butterfly(Hyphantria cunea), native to North America. On the European continent, it was first discovered in 1940 in Hungary, after a few years it quickly spread to Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. The butterfly has snow-white wings (span-2.5-3.5 cm), some individuals have small black dots on the abdomen and on the wings. The antennae of the female are filiform, those of the male are feathery, black with a white coating.

Caterpillars are polyphagous, can feed on more than 200 plant species. It is characteristic that in Europe they prefer mulberry, which is hardly touched in America. Caterpillars are velvety brown above with black warts bearing long hairs; lemon-yellow stripes with orange warts on the sides; length 3.5 cm. Pupae hibernate, which are under the bark of trees, in the forks of branches and nodes with fallen LEAVES. The butterfly lays its eggs on the underside of leaves, placing 300 to 800 eggs in a clutch. Caterpillars develop within 35-45 days. Young caterpillars live in nests woven from silk.

In the distribution of these butterflies, winds play an important role, contributing to their flights. New foci of this pest are found along railway lines and highways. The American white butterfly is an important quarantine object of national importance.

Among other insects, Lepidoptera represent a relatively "young" group: fossil butterflies are known only from Tertiary deposits. At the same time, this is the second order of insects in terms of the number of species, which includes about 140,000 species and is inferior in diversity of forms only to the order of beetles. Lepidoptera are distributed throughout the world; there are especially many of them in the tropics, where the most beautiful and largest forms are found, reaching in some cases a wingspan of almost 30 cm, as is the case with one of the largest butterflies in the world - agrippa scoops(Thysania agrippina), common in the forests of Brazil (Fig. 328). - a group of families of the order of butterflies, or Lepidoptera, the second largest number of species in the class of insects. Most, as the name suggests, are crepuscular or nocturnal. In addition, nocturnal butterflies are different from daytime and ... ... Collier Encyclopedia

- (Lepidoptera, see Table Butterflies I IV) form a large order of insects, comprising up to 22,000 species, including up to 3,500 species in Russian Empire(in European and Asian Russia). These are insects with sucking mouth organs, ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Lepidoptera (Lepidoptera, from the Greek lepis scales and pteron wing), an extensive (more than 140 thousand species) squad of insects with complete transformation. Two pairs of wings, covered with scales. The oral apparatus is sucking, in the form of a proboscis (See Proboscis) (at rest ... ... Big soviet encyclopedia

- (lepidoptera), a detachment of insects. Wings (2 pairs) covered with differently colored scales. In large individuals, the wingspan is up to 30 cm, in small ones about 3 mm. Adults (imagoes) live from several hours to several weeks (wintering several ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

This term has other meanings, see Detachment (meanings). Contents 1 History of the concept 1.1 Botany ... Wikipedia

Contents 1 History of the concept 1.1 Botany 1.2 Zoology 2 Names ... Wikipedia

Whites ... Wikipedia

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 are known from 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 estimated that up to 100,000 species still remain known to science and thus the total number of Lepidoptera species existing on the planet can be estimated at approximately 200,000 to 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. True Grade total 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 fabrics.

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 majority of butterflies live in warm time year, 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. At dead head(Acherontia atropos L.) the need for honey is so great 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.
moth fir cones– 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. Appearance and the sizes of representatives of this suborder are 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, feature which is the absence of thickened veins on wide angular wings with variegated coloration 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 creations 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 solar heat 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 countries and South America butterflies are considered a delicacy!
The most complex organ of these amazing creatures- 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 collectibles among famous people 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 instances with rather long life cycle: The Brixton butterfly is long-lived, 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 types of these beautiful creatures, which for the entire cycle of imago ( last stage life) do not eat at all. 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.
AT tropical forests There is a species of butterflies of the New and Old Worlds, the males of which 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

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The most airy creatures on Earth - butterflies - amaze the imagination with their beauty and diversity. Especially they fascinate people with their coloring. Many with their color palette resemble a peacock's tail or a motley fan. This living being is never disgusted. Nothing compares to the graceful and easy flight of a butterfly! Spring, beauty and eternity are associated with it. Butterfly is a symbol of happiness, fidelity, love, immortality. In another way, they are also called Lepidoptera. Biologists distinguish the following close orders of insects: butterflies, homoptera, dipterans, fleas. You will be interested to learn about the features of these wonderful insects.

Butterfly detachment, or Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera are the largest group of insects from the type Feature all representatives of the order of butterflies - a scaly multi-colored cover of the body and wings. These scales are nothing more than modified hairs. They have a different color, can make complex and bizarre patterns. These patterns serve as a disguise to hide the insect or signal inedibility. For most species, the patterns on the wings are of an identifying nature, so that individuals of the same species can recognize each other.

Another identifying feature of the butterfly detachment is the sucking mouth apparatus in the form of a long tubular proboscis. For eating, the butterfly puts forward a long proboscis, immerses it deep into the flower and sucks in the nectar.

The main source of food for the order of butterflies is the nectar of flowers, so they are considered the main pollinators of flowering plants. There is an opinion that with the appearance of flowers on Earth, butterflies arose.

Butterfly breeding

Everyone knows that butterflies are nocturnal and daytime. pass in the process of development First, they lay eggs, from which larvae hatch, completely unlike adults. These are caterpillars. Via salivary glands caterpillars secrete saliva and it is from them that caterpillars weave a cocoon for their chrysalis. The caterpillar will turn into it after passing several links. After some time, an adult butterfly (imago) flies out of the pupa. The longest lifespan of adults is several months.

Nutrition Features

The annual development cycle of a butterfly is different, depending on the species. Most often, butterflies give one generation per year. There are species that give two or three generations per year.

Individuality of the building

Lepidoptera can range in size from 2 mm to 15 cm. The smallest butterfly is considered to be a baby moth that lives on canary islands. The largest species is the Maak sailboat, which is common in Europe.

Like other insects, butterflies have an abdomen, head, and thorax. is a strong chitinous cover. Butterflies have two pairs of wings with modified scale hairs. It is with the help of these scales that the wings acquire pattern and color. Butterflies can fly long distances. These insects are of two sexes.

Orders of insects: butterflies, homoptera, diptera, fleas

Today, there are about 150,000 scaly species that live on all continents except Antarctica. Tropical areas are rich in brightly colored butterflies. In addition to butterflies, there are several more similar orders of insects: homoptera, diptera, fleas. Let's get acquainted with the main representatives of each squad:

In nature and human life, Lepidoptera have great importance. After all, butterflies perfectly pollinate plants. Many large butterflies, such as the swallowtail, Apollo, simply fascinate with their beauty. They become exhibits of many entomological collections.

Many features of butterflies are very peculiar and are not found in other insects. The most characteristic of them are the sucking mouth apparatus and the scaly cover of the wings. The vast majority of butterflies have both of these traits. In cases where one of them is absent, the other is always present.

Mouth organs, inherent in many other insects, are not found in butterflies: the upper lip, upper jaws and lower lip are either absent at all, or they are barely distinguishable. But the lower jaws, on the contrary, are very strongly elongated and, adjoining each other only at the edges, form a hollow tube. The insect sucks nectar or other liquid food with the help of this proboscis. In this case, the role of the pump is played by special muscles located on its sides. Straightening due to the injection of blood fluid, the elastic proboscis twists into a spiral when it flows back.

There are few deviations in the structure of the oral organs in butterflies. For example, in an ancient family of toothed moths, instead of a proboscis, upper jaws - mandibles - are preserved. With their help, these insects gnaw through the shells of pollen grains, which they feed on.

Representatives of the cocoonworm, corydalis, bagworm families, as well as some in adulthood, do not eat anything at all. The energy for life is given to them by the stock of fat accumulated at the stage of the larva. The mouth apparatus of these butterflies decreases in size (is reduced) and becomes inoperative. Finally, in a number of nocturnal Lepidoptera, the proboscis is pointed at the end, equipped with a brush of long hairs and serves as a piercing tool.

The carelessness with which butterflies flutter from flower to flower is just an illusion. Adult insects, feeding mainly on nectar, have to look for "their" plants. Indeed, in order to get a sweet bone hidden in the depths of the corolla, one must have a proboscis of the appropriate size. In some, it is so large that it exceeds the length of the body. And the world record holder is one of the Madagascar hawks with a 30-centimeter proboscis. It is this depth that the corolla of the orchid pollinated by this butterfly has.

Generally speaking, flowers of carnations and orchids, when cross-pollinated, can only rely on Lepidoptera. However, butterflies do not only feed on nectar. They are also very attracted to sweet juices that stand out from the wounds or cracks of plants, as well as formed during the decay of fruits. Strange as it may seem, many of the most beautiful butterflies prefer excrement and even the tissues of decaying animal corpses to nectar, so long as these delicacies are liquefied. In the fauna of our country, butterflies have such unusual tastes - peredivnitsa, pigeons, Far Eastern