insects clade order includes adult butterflies large brightly coloured wings conspicuous flight group comprises large smaller groups butterflies butterfly fossils date million years ago butterflies typical stage insect life cycle winged adults lay eggs food plant larvae known feed grow rapidly fully developed complete skin splits adult insect climbs wings expanded dried flies butterflies especially tropics generations year single generation cold locations years pass life cycle butterflies species use camouflage evade predators like monarch painted lady migrate long distances butterflies relationships organisms including flies ants invertebrates species stages damage domestic crops trees species agents plants butterflies eat harmful insects culturally butterflies popular motif visual literary arts etymology oxford english dictionary derives word butter fly similar names old high german ancient possible source bright yellow male butterflies wing meadows spring summer butter season grass growing taxonomy phylogeny earliest fossils small age million years ago butterflies evolved butterflies forming single clade oldest butterflies oldest american butterfly late fossil beds traditionally butterflies divided smaller like phylogenetic analysis suggests traditional respect groups included form single butterfly group clade biology general description butterfly adults characterized scale covered wings scale wing scales butterfly wings colour blacks acid derivatives blues reds colours created structural coloration produced micro structures scales hairs insects body divided sections head abdomen composed segments pair legs families butterfly antennae unlike long use flowers nearly butterflies relatively bright colours hold wings vertically bodies rest unlike majority fly night coloured hold wings flat touching surface standing fold closely bodies day flying hawk exceptions rules butterfly larvae hard head strong cutting food leaves cylindrical bodies segments abdomen generally short segments pairs true legs segments bright colours projections containing toxic chemicals obtained food plants unlike wrapped butterflies sexually butterflies sex determination system females sex males distribution migration lists butterflies australia tasmania victoria britain india north_america taiwan trinidad distributed worldwide antarctica totalling species distributed combined oriental australian oceania regions monarch butterfly native americas nineteenth century spread world found australia new_zealand parts oceania clear dispersed adults blown wind larvae accidentally transported humans presence suitable host plants new environment necessity successful establishment butterflies painted lady monarch migrate long distances place number generations single individual completes trip eastern north american population monarchs travel thousands miles southwest sites mexico reverse migration spring recently shown british painted lady mile round trip series steps successive generations tropical africa double length famous undertaken monarch spectacular large scale associated monsoon seen india studied recent times wing stable hydrogen butterflies navigate time compensated sun compass light orient cloudy conditions light near spectrum appears particularly important migratory butterflies live semi arid areas breeding seasons short life histories host plants influence butterfly behaviour life cycle butterflies adult stage live week nearly year depending species species long life stages remain dormant egg stages survive winters arctic twice butterflies year number generations year varies temperate tropical regions tropical regions showing trend courtship aerial involves butterflies land ground perch mate takes place tail tail minutes hours male passes female reduce sperm competition cover scent species opening prevent mating vast majority butterflies stage life cycle egg adult genera small number species known reproduce semi female dies partially developed emerges abdomen egg butterfly eggs protected hard outer layer shell called lined thin coating wax prevents egg drying time fully develop egg contains number tiny funnel shaped openings end called purpose holes allow sperm enter egg butterfly eggs vary greatly size shape species usually upright finely species lay eggs singly females produce eggs butterfly eggs fixed leaf special rapidly contracts shape egg easily seen surrounding base egg forming nature little researched case begins pale yellow containing proteins exposed air water material soon sets solid butterflies genus fix eggs leaf instead newly laid eggs fall base plant eggs invariably laid plants species butterfly range species butterfly restricted species plant use range plant species including members common family species great eggs deposited close food plant likely happens egg hatching host plant loses leaves winter example egg stage lasts weeks butterflies eggs laid close winter especially temperate regions resting stage hatching place spring temperate region butterflies beauty lay eggs spring hatch summer butterfly larvae consume plant leaves spend practically time searching eating food species predators eats scale insects eating larvae larvae especially form mutual associations ants communicate ants vibrations transmitted substrate chemical signals ants provide degree protection larvae turn gather large blue trick ants taking colony feed eggs larvae parasitic relationship mature series developmental stages known near end stage undergoes process called release series phase cuticle tough outer layer mixture specialized proteins released softer beneath begins form new cuticle end old cuticle splits new cuticle expands rapidly developing pigment development butterfly wing patterns begins short antennae simple eyes adapted powerful pair adjoining houses tubular able silk butterfly pairs true legs segments pairs arising abdominal segments rings tiny hooks called engaged help grip substrate bears position number help identifying species decoration form hairs like horn like spines internally body cavity taken gut large silk special toxic substances developing wings present later stage start development egg stage fully grown produced point stops feeding begins wandering quest suitable site underside leaf concealed location spins button silk uses body surface final time spin protect species naked known usually hangs head pad posterior end species spun head position tissues cells broken inside constituent material rebuilt structure transforming insect visible exterior wings folded flat ventral surface halves antennae legs transformation butterfly held great appeal mankind transform miniature wings visible outside large structures usable flight wings undergo rapid absorb great deal nutrients wing removed early grow larger size wing forms structure compressed ends grows rapidly adult size boundaries seen adult colour pattern marked changes expression particular factors early adult reproductive stage insect winged adult surface butterflies covered scales single cell head small dominated large compound eyes capable distinguishing flower shapes motion clearly viewing distant objects colour perception good especially species blue violet range antennae composed segments tips unlike tapering antennae sensory concentrated tips detect taste located feet designed usually reduced size absent elongated tubular rest expanded needed feed second bear function sensory organs species reduced feed adults butterfly devoted segments legs pair reduced insects walk legs second segments bear wings leading edges thick veins strengthen smaller rounded fewer veins fore hooked coordinated friction overlapping parts segments pair abdomen consists segments contains gut organs segments terminal segment modified reproduction male pair organs attached ring structure tubular structure inserted female deposited female following sperm way seminal stored later use sexes adorned spines teeth scales act prevent butterfly mating insect species emerges stage butterfly fly wings newly emerged butterfly needs spend time wings letting dry time extremely vulnerable predators behaviour butterflies feed primarily flowers derive tree rotting fruit decaying flesh dissolved minerals wet sand dirt butterflies important species plants general carry load bees capable moving greater distances flower observed species butterfly adult butterflies consume water damp patches feed flowers obtain energy minerals vital reproduction species butterflies need provided attracted salt land people attracted salt human sweat butterflies visit rotting fruit obtain minerals nutrients species mud behaviour restricted males studies suggested nutrients collected provided gift mating butterflies use antennae sense air wind antennae come shapes colours pointed angle hook antennae families antennae antennae richly covered sensory organs known butterfly sense taste coordinated feet work contact determine egg laying insect offspring able feed leaf eggs laid butterflies use chemical signals specialized scent scales structures hair vision developed butterflies species sensitive spectrum species sexual patterns reflective patches color vision widespread demonstrated species butterflies organs hearing species sounds species butterfly maintain territories actively chase species individuals stray species perch chosen flight styles butterflies characteristic species courtship flight displays butterflies fly temperature cool position expose underside wings sunlight heat body temperature reaches folded wings sun activity common cooler hours morning species evolved dark help gathering heat especially evident alpine forms insects lift generated butterflies accounted steady state non studies wind tunnel use wide variety aerodynamic mechanisms generate force include wake capture wing edge mechanisms mechanism butterflies able change mode rapidly ecology predators butterflies threatened early stages stages predators diseases environmental factors parasitic lay eggs eggs larvae larvae hosts usually inside outside specific host species biological controls pest butterflies like large white butterfly small white accidentally introduced new_zealand natural enemies order control wasp imported natural control regained flies lay eggs outside newly hatched fly larvae bore way skin feed similar way wasp larvae predators butterflies include ants spiders birds affected range viral fungal diseases small percentage butterfly eggs laid reach adulthood reduce damage crops large white butterfly fungus proved effective purpose defences butterflies protect predators variety means chemical defences widespread based chemicals plant origin cases plants evolved toxic substances protection butterflies evolved mechanisms plant use instead defense defense mechanisms effective advertised led evolution bright colours butterflies signal commonly butterflies usually females mimic species enjoy protection species common india female imitate red bodied common rose crimson rose occurs species evolve resemble presumably reduce predator sampling rates butterflies americas good example camouflage found butterflies like butterfly autumn leaf remarkable leaves defend freezing appearing like sticks branches waving ends marked snakes giant resemble bird hairs structures provide protection form dense species forming associations ants gaining protection defences include wings reduce shadow avoid conspicuous female butterflies guard eggs false head consisting small tails false antennae attack vital head region cause ambush predators spiders approach wrong end enabling butterflies detect attacks promptly butterflies wings attacks serve attract mates tropical butterflies seasonal forms dry wet seasons switched dry season forms usually cryptic offering better camouflage vegetation scarce dark colours wet season forms help absorb solar radiation culture art literature butterflies appeared art years ago ancient city brilliantly coloured image butterfly carved temples buildings jewellery butterfly depicted jaguar species considered souls dead warriors close association butterflies fire warfare persisted evidence similar jaguar butterfly images found maya butterflies widely objects art jewellery mounted frames embedded displayed bottles paper mixed media artworks norwegian naturalist compiled photographic containing letters wings butterflies sir drew famous illustration alice meeting alice wonderland seated smoking image read showing suggesting face protruding nose chin children book hungry portrays hungry animal teaching children count days week popular recorded songs sweden 18th century butterfly seen butterfly opera romantic young japanese bride deserted american officer husband soon married based short story written mythology folklore according butterfly seen japan person soul living dying dead japanese says butterfly enters bamboo screen person love coming large numbers butterflies viewed bad secretly preparing famous revolt appeared vast butterflies people frightened thinking coming evil cites butterflies symbol soul roman sculpture depicts butterfly exiting mouth dead man representing roman belief soul leaves mouth line ancient greek word butterfly primarily means soul mind according claim ancestry butterfly cultures butterflies rebirth butterfly symbol transformation winged adult english county devon people kill butterfly year avoid year bad luck philippines lingering black butterfly house taken mean death family american states chosen official state butterfly collecting recording collecting butterflies popular hobby largely replaced photography recording butterflies release wild illustrator succeeded butterfly species found britain rate year enable draw stage species published results sized handbook natural history british butterflies technology study structural coloration wing scales butterflies led development efficient light structural coloration 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Butterfly