The Life of a zButterfly
Butterflies are beautiful, flying insects that belong to an order of insects known as Lepidoptera. They have large scaly wings covered in thousands of tiny scales, which are colored in designs unique to each species.
Adult butterflies have short lifespans, varying from species to species. Some may only live a few days, while others such as the brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) can have a lifespan of 10-13 months.
Like all other insects, butterflies have six jointed legs and three main body parts: head, thorax (the chest or mid section), and abdomen (the tail end). They also have two antennae and an exoskeleton.
During their adult lives, butterflies are highly selective about what they eat and what plants they visit. Some butterflies feed only on flower nectar, while others may also eat the liquids found in rotting fruit, animal dung, and ooze from trees.
To feed, butterflies drink through a tube-like tongue called a proboscis that uncoils to sip and coils up again when not feeding.
Female butterflies lay their eggs in clusters on the underside of leaves or on the stems of plants. The eggs are fertilized by the male’s sperm.
When the eggs hatch, they form a pupa. Depending on the species, pupae can last for a few days or more than a year.
After the pupal stage, many butterfly species overwinter or hibernate. These insects sleep in the warm and dark of their chrysalises, and some even emerge as adults to start the next phase of their life cycles.
