A Butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a popular hobby. Butterflies comprise of the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (Superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (Superfamily Hedyloidea). Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some are known to migrate over large distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Economically, butterflies are important by virtue of their being one of the major agents of pollination, in addition to a number of species which are pests on domestic crops and trees. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts. The adults, caterpillars and pupas of some species form part of the diet in many parts of the world.
Origin and distribution
Butterflies are nested within the evolutionary tree of moths. Their origins may date back to the Cretaceous Period, ending 65 million years ago. Unfortunately, the fossil record is very limited. The oldest known fossil is an unnamed possible skipper butterfly from the Upper Palaeocene (around 57 million year old) of Fur, Denmark . One of the most beautifully preserved is a Metalmark butterfly (Voltinia dramba) from 25 million year old Dominican amber. Butterflies are today distributed throughout the world except in the very cold and arid regions. There are an estimated 17,500 species of butterflies (Papilionoidea) out of about 180,000 species of Lepidoptera.
Butterfly families
The five families of true butterflies usually recognized in the Papilionoidea are:- Family Papilionidae, the Swallowtails and Birdwings Family Pieridae, the cool Whites and Yellows Family Lycaenidae, the Blues and Coppers, also called the Gossamer-Winged Butterflies Family Riodinidae, the Metalmar butterflies Family Nymphalidae, the Brushfooted butterflies The superfamily Hesperioidea comprises one family only, albeit a large one, the skippers of family Hesperiidae, whereas the superfamily Hedyloidea also consists of a single family Hedylidae but with a monotypic genus Macrosoma comprising 35 species.
Some popular species
There are between 15,000 and 20,000 species of butterflies worldwide. Some well known species from around the world include: Swallowtails and Birdwings, Family Papilionidae Common Yellow Swallowtail, Papilio machaon Spicebush Swallowtail, Papilio troilus Lime Butterfly, Papilio demoleus Ornithoptera genus (Birdwings; the largest butterflies) Whites or Yellows, Family Pieridae Small White, Pieris rapae Green-veined White, Pieris napi Common Jezebel, Delias eucharis Blues and Coppers or Gossamer-Winged Butterflies, Family Lycaenidae Xerces Blue, Glaucopsyche xerces (extinct) Karner Blue, Lycaeides melissa samuelis (endangered) Red Pierrot, Talicada nyseus Metalmark butterflies, Family Riodinidae Lange's Metalmark Butterfly Plum Judy, Abisara echerius Brush-footed butterflies, Family Nymphalidae Painted Lady, or Cosmopolite, Vanessa cardui Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus Morpho genus Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria
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