All About Butterflies
All insects are cold-blooded and cannot control their body temperature. So butterflies will readily bask in the sun when it is warm out, but few are seeen on cloudy days. It is good idea to leave open areas in a yard for butteries to sun themselves, as well as partly shady areas like trees or shrubs, so they can hide when it's cloudy or cool off if it is very hot. Butterflies also like puddles. Males of several species congregate at small rain pools, forming puddle clubs. Permanent puddles are very easy to make by burying a bucket to rim, filling it with gravel or sand, and then pouring in liquids such as sweet drinks or water, Overripe fruit, allowed to sit for a few days is a very attractive substance ( To them!!) as well.

Butterfly Anatomy

Adult butterflies and moths have mouth parts shaped into a long, coiled tube. Forcing blood into the tube straightens it out, allowing butterflies to feed on liquids. Butterflies get all their food from this tube, which limits them to nectar and standing water. Larvae, on the other hand, have chewing mouth parts wich they use to eat leaves. Butterflies have large, rounded compound eyes which allows them to see in all directions without turning their head. Like most insects, butterflies cannot see very far, and are more attracted to large groups of a particular flower then those planted singly. Butterflies also have a very well-developed sense of smell from their antennae. all butterflies' antennae are club-shaped, as opposed to moths, which can be many shapes but often are feathery. Butterflies begin their life as an egg, laid either singly or in clusters depending on the species, A very tiny caterpillar emerges and, after consuming its egg shell, begins feeding on its host plant. Capterpillars must crawl out of their skin or molt, usually around five times, before changing into pupa or chrysalis. Finally, an adult butterfly emerges, spreads its wings and flies away. This type of development is called "complete metamorphosis."

What Butterflies need in life

What is the Difference between a Butterfly and a Moth?

Many people think that moths are butterflies and that some butterflies are moths. There is a way that you can tell the difference between the two. Butterflies fly in the morning and afternoon hours. In other words you will see butterflies during the day. All the little things you see in the evening and at night that look like butterflies are moths. Moths fly during the evening and at night. Butterflies have knobs or clubs on the ends of their antennae. Moths do not have them at the end of their antennae. Butterfly bodies are very smooth and slender. Moths are plump and fuzzy. Butterflies rest with their wings held together straight up in the air. Moths spread them apart and to the sides. Butterflies are brightly colored insects. Months are shaded and brown (they are cryptic - or blend in to their environments while butterflies stand out).
The english name "Butterfly" comes from people's belief in creepy witches that supposedly fly into people homes and steal milk and butter.


Interesting Facts about Butterflies

Butterflies can fly for thousands of miles up to 1000 feet in the air. They can fly up higher than the Empire State Building. Butterflies can fly from Canada, through the U.S., to Mexico.

Butterflies fly with their scales and wings. You can compare their wings like a birds wing, they have the same features except for feathers. The scales on a butterfly can easily be damageed with the powerful force from a human. Butterflies have to be warmed up before they take action just like a car. To cool off in the summertime, butterflies fly and cruise in the air.

For food, butterflies suck the nectar from flowers or the juice from a rotten fruit. Sometimes they suck the sweat off of animals.

Oranges and Bananas for the
Butterflies at Magic Wings
Butterflies smell with their antennae and they eat with their feet. Before they lay their eggs butterflies test the plant with their antennae to make sure that the capterpillar larva can feed off something good. Butterflies have good eyesight as do other insects.

The four stages for a complete metamorphosis are egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Many butterflies are endangered because we destroy the land that they live on. We can help solve this problem by planting butterfly gardens. The gardens will help attract butterflies, and give them a safe place to live, so that they can they can produce multiple offspring and replenish their populations.

Information about Butterflies / Build a Butterfly Garden / Visit Magic Wings at the N.C. Museum of Life and Science


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