While some people think of cocoons as a resting place, there's no resting going on inside the cocoon! To the contrary, there's a lot of activity. Inside the cocoon and the chrysalis, the caterpillar is transforming into a new creature. This requires that the old caterpillarbody be broken down and turned into something new. Think of it as insect recycling!

Butterflies are beautiful and remarkable creatures and a source of unending amazement. Here are some facts about butterflies that you never knew:

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/how-does-a-caterpillar-turn-into-a-butterfly/

Tropical and subtropical rainforests are the primary habitats of these fascinating bugs. They’re mostly found in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, which includes countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma). They can also be found in nations in Asia such as Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.

There are nearly 4,000 different species of skipper, found everywhere in the world except Antarctica.

 

Have you ever seen a

 caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly? There are few transformations in nature as miraculous and fascinating as the process of becoming a butterfly.

Butterflies go through a life cycle that involves several stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The metamorphosis from a caterpillar into a butterfly occurs during the pupa stage. During this stage, the caterpillar's old body dies and a new body forms inside a protective shell known as a chrysalis.

Moth caterpillars and many other insect larvae spin silk coverings for the chrysalis. These silk casings are called cocoons. Cocoons can be soft or hard, solid or web-like and any of several different colors or even see-through.

Cocoons provide camouflage and additional protection for the chrysalis. Many moth caterpillars will spin their cocoons in concealed locations, such as the underside of leaves, at the base of a tree, or hanging from a small branch.

During fall migration, migrating Monarchs
(link is external) (Danaus plexippus) have been seen flying by tall buildings such as the Empire State Building at more than 1,000+ feet. Butterflies are picked up by storm fronts and moved hundreds of miles, probably at altitudes of several thousand feet.

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During fall migration, migrating Monarchs
(link is external) (Danaus plexippus) have been seen flying by tall buildings such as the Empire State Building at more than 1,000+ feet. Butterflies are picked up by storm fronts and moved hundreds of miles, probably at altitudes of several thousand feet.

‘Lepidoptera [butterflies and moths] are very rare as fossils because they are so delicate. Even in a fossil hotspot like the Insect Limestone you would be lucky to find one butterfly in 1,000 fossils collected.’ jade

There are over 24,000 species of butterflies that are exceptionally diverse in size, color, and shape. Interestingly, a butterfly’s wings are covered with small scales measuring between 30-80 micrometers by 30-500 micrometers in an area that refract light to produce the vibrant colors we see. The bright patterns on butterfly wings are thought to serve many purposes including attracting mates and deceiving predators.

As its common name implies, the blue morpho butterfly’s wings are bright blue, edged with black. The blue morpho is among the largest butterflies in the world, with wings spanning from five to eight inches. Their vivid, iridescent blue coloring is a result of the microscopic scales on the backs of their wings, which reflect light. The underside of the morpho’s wings, on the other hand, is a dull brown color with many eyespots, providing camouflage against predators such as birds and insects when its wings are closed. When the blue morpho flies, the contrasting bright blue and dull brown colors flash, making it look like the morpho is appearing and disappearing. The males’ wings are broader than those of the females and appear to be brighter in color. Blue morphos, like other butterflies, also have two clubbed antennas, two fore wings and two hind wings, six legs and three body segments—the head, thorax and abdomen.

There are nearly 4,000 different species of skipper, found everywhere in the world except Antarctica.

Researchers have recently found that when skippers are startled, they react at least twice as quickly as a human does.

Huertas says, 'Fast reactions and flight speeds help skippers deal with danger and avoid predators.'

www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Vanessa_cardui/

There are nearly 4,000 different species of skipper, found everywhere in the world except Antarctica.

Even big butterflies are small in size. Even the largest ones, like the Queen Alexandra Birdwing, with a wingspan of 11 inches and a weight of 0.42 ounces, are able to be easily held in a man’s hand. But there are butterflies whose size is truly minuscule, for they evolved to be able to pollinate the smallest flowers or fill some other niche that can’t be filled by the bigger boys and girls. This article lists 10 of the smallest butterflies in the world, from the largest of the smallest to the tiniest.

Explorers, doctors and scientists of the seventeenth century were brave, competitive and curious, and their desire for knowledge took them far across the planet for months at a time.

They are responsible for the oldest collection of butterflies still in existence, now stored in the Museum.

No one knows for sure, since the word has been in the English language for centuries. The word was "buterfleoge" in Old English, which means "butterfly" in our English today. Because it is such an old word, we don't really know who or when someone said "That 'thing' over there is a 'butterfly'." One story is that they were named so because it was thought that butterflies, or witches that took on the shape of butterflies, stole milk and butter. (Someone else wondered if the word was really meant to be "flutter-by" ). In other languages, the word for our fluttery friends has no such derivation as "butter" + "fly". One can only speculate on why the English language uses such an unlikely name. jade

19 Nov