|
A common classification of the Lepidoptera involves their differentiation into butterflies and moths. This separation is not recognized by taxonomists since the moths are an artificial group, defined only as everything in the order that is not a butterfly. Butterflies, on the other hand, are a natural monophyletic group, often given the rankless taxon name of Rhopalocera. Superfamilies Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea Alucitoidea Axioidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidea Choreutoidea Cossoidea Drepanoidea Epermenioidea Eriocranioidea Galacticoidea Gelechioidea Geometroidea Gracillarioidea Hedyloidea Hepialoidea Heterobathmioidea Hyblaeoidea Immoidea Incurvarioidea Lasiocampoidea Lophocoronoidea Micropterigoidea Mimallonoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Neopseustoidea Nepticuloidea Noctuoidea Palaephatoidea Pterophoroidea Pyraloidea Schreckensteinioidea Sesioidea Simaethistoidea Thyridoidea Tineoidea Tischerioidea Tortricoidea Urodoidea Whalleyanoidea Yponomeutoidea Zygaenoidea The order Lepidoptera...
Families Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is a insect of the order Lepidoptera, from either of the superfamilies Hesperioidea (the skippers) or Papilionoidea (all other butterflies). ...
Lepidopteran on a flower. ...
Taxonomy (from Greek ταξινομία from the words taxis = order and nomos = law) may refer to either a hierarchical classification of things, or the principles underlying the classification. ...
In phylogenetics, a group is monophyletic (Greek: of one stem) if all organisms in that group are known to have developed from a common ancestral form, and all descendants of that form are included in the group. ...
Categorization
Taxonomically, the folk category of butterfly usually comprises the combination of the lepidopteran superfamilies Papilionoidea and the Hesperioidea, while the remaining groups are usually called moths. Families Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae Libytheidae The superfamily Papilionoidea contains all the butterflies except for the skippers, which are classified in superfamily Hesperioidea. ...
Author: Latreille, 1809 Type species: Hesperia comma (Silver-spotted skipper) Diversity: 550 genera 3,500 species Subfamilies Coeliadinae Pyrrhopyginae Hesperiinae Heteropterinae Pyrginae Trapezitinae The Skippers are a group of insects in the order Lepidoptera. ...
Morphological differences Download high resolution version (845x645, 84 KB)This is an enlarged version of the K.butterfly photograph from the US Parks and Wildlife Public Domain Photo Archive, used for the Butterfly article and in the difference between a butterfly and a moth. ...
Download high resolution version (845x645, 84 KB)This is an enlarged version of the K.butterfly photograph from the US Parks and Wildlife Public Domain Photo Archive, used for the Butterfly article and in the difference between a butterfly and a moth. ...
The Kamehameha Butterfly is one of two species of butterfly native to Hawaii. ...
Shape and structure of antennae The most obvious difference is in the feelers, or antennae. Most butterflies have thin slender filamentous antennae which are club shaped at the end. Moths, on the other hand, often have comb-like or feathery antennae, or filamentous and unclubbed. This distinction is the basis for the non-standard taxonomic divisions in the Lepidoptera - the Rhopalocera ("clubbed horn", the butterflies) and the Heterocera ("varied horn", the moths). For other uses, see Antenna. ...
There are, however, exceptions to this rule and a few moths (the family Castniidae) have clubbed antennae. Some butterflies, like Pseudopontia paradoxa from the forests of central Africa, lack the clubbed ends. The Hesperiids often have an angle to the tip of the antenna. Genera Aciloa Amauta Athis Castnia Castniomera Castnius Ceretes Chremes Corybantes Cyerina Daguana Divana Dominickus Duboisvalia Enicospila Erythrocastnia Escalantiana Eupalamides Feschaeria Frostetola Gazera Geyeria Haemonides Hista Imara Ircila Lapaeumides Leucocastnia Melanosema Mirocastnia Neocastnia Oiticicastnia Paysandisia Prometheus Riechia Spilopastes Synemon Synpalamides Tascina Telchin Tosxampila Xanthocastnia Yagra Ypanema Zegara Castniidae is a small...
A world map showing the continent of Africa. ...
Author: Latreille, 1809 Type species: Hesperia comma (Silver-spotted skipper) Diversity: 550 genera 3,500 species Subfamilies Coeliadinae Pyrrhopyginae Hesperiinae Heteropterinae Pyrginae Trapezitinae The Skippers are a group of insects in the order Lepidoptera. ...
Wing coupling mechanisms Many moths have a frenulum which is a filament arising from the hindwing and coupling with barbs on the forewing. The frenulum can be observed only when a specimen is in hand. Some moths have a lobe on the forewing called a jugum that helps in coupling with the hindwing. Butterflies however lack these structures.
Pupae Most moth caterpillars spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into the pupal stage. Most butterflies on the other hand form an exposed pupa which is also termed as a chrysalis. This article is about insect larvae. ...
Chrysalis of Gulf Fritillary in Georgetown, South Carolina Pupation of Inachis io A pupa (plural: pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. ...
A Pieris rapae larva An older Pieris rapae larva A Pieris rapae pupa A Pieris rapae adult Metamorphosis is a process in biology by which an individual physically develops after birth or hatching, and involves significant change in form as well as growth and differentiation. ...
Chrysalis of Gulf Fritillary in Georgetown, South Carolina Pupation of Inachis io A pupa (plural: pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. ...
However there are many exceptions to this rule, for example the Hawk moths form an exposed chrysalis which however is underground. Gypsy moths sometimes form butterfly-style pupae, hanging on twigs or tree bark, although usually they create flimsy cocoons out of silk strands and a few leaves, partially exposing the chrysalis. A few Skipper butterfly larvae also make crude cocoons in which they pupate, exposing the pupa a bit. The parnassian butterfly larvae make a flimsy cocoon for pupation. Genera Macroglossinae Smerinthinae Sphinginae etc. ...
Binomial name Lymantria dispar Linnaeus, 1758 This article deals with the moth Lymantria dispar. ...
Download high resolution version (933x662, 76 KB)This is a photo from the US Parks and Wildlife Public Domain Photo Library (http://images. ...
Download high resolution version (933x662, 76 KB)This is a photo from the US Parks and Wildlife Public Domain Photo Library (http://images. ...
This article needs to be wikified. ...
Colouration of the wings Most butterflies have bright colours on their wings. Nocturnal moths on the other hand are usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls which help camouflage them as they rest during the day. However many day-flying moths are brightly-coloured, particularly if they are toxic. A few butterflies are also plain-colored, like the Cabbage White butterfly. An infant Cuttlefish blends into the surrounding sand substrate. ...
// Toxic and Intoxicated redirect here – toxic has other uses, which can be found at Toxicity (disambiguation); for the state of being intoxicated by alcohol see Drunkenness. ...
Binomial name Pieris rapae Linnaeus, 1758 The Small White butterfly, Pieris rapae, flies April-May and July-August. ...
Structure of the body Moths tend to have a stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies, while butterflies have slender and smoother abdomens. Moths have larger scales on their wings which make them look more dense and fluffy. Butterflies on the other hand possess fine scales. This difference is possibly due to the need for moths to conserve heat during the cooler nights whereas butterflies are able to absorb solar radiation.
Behavioural differences Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Binomial name Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a well-known North American butterfly. ...
Time of activity Most moths are nocturnal or crepuscular while most butterflies are diurnal. There are however exceptions, including the diurnal Gypsy moth and the spectacular "Uraniidae" or Sunset moths. A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
A diurnal animal (dÄ«-ÅrnÉ™l) is an animal that is active during the daytime and sleeps during the night. ...
A diurnal animal (dÄ«-ÅrnÉ™l) is an animal that is active during the daytime and sleeps during the night. ...
Binomial name Lymantria dispar Linnaeus, 1758 This article deals with the moth Lymantria dispar. ...
Subfamilies Auzeinae Uraniinae (7 genera) Microniinae Epipleminae The Uraniidae are a family of moths containing four subfamilies, ninety genera, and roughly seven-hundred species. ...
Resting posture  Tetragonus sp., a day-flying Callidulid moth holds its wings like a butterfly but lacks the knobbed antennae Moths usually rest with their wings spread out to their sides. Butterflies frequently fold their wings above their backs when they are perched although they will occasionally "bask" with their wings spread for short periods. However some butterflies, like the skippers, may hold their wings either flat, or folded, or even in-between (the so-called "jet plane" position) when perched. Most moths also occasionally fold their wings above their backs when they are in a certain spot (like when there is no room to fully spread their wings). A sometimes confusing family can be the "Geometridae" because the adults often rest with their wings folded vertically. These moths have thin bodies and large wings like many butterflies but may be distinguished easily by structural differences in their antennae (e.g. bipectinate). Genera See text. ...
Type species Hesperia comma Silver-spotted skipper Diversity 550 genera 3,500 species Subfamilies Coeliadinae Pyrrhopyginae Hesperiinae Heteropterinae Pyrginae Trapezitinae The Skippers are a group of insects in the order Lepidoptera. ...
Author: Leach, 1815 Type species: Geometra papilionaria (large emerald moth) Diversity: 2,000? genera 26,000 species Subfamilies Alsophilinae Archiearinae Desmobathrinae Ennominae Geometrinae Larentiinae Oenochrominae Orthostixinae Sterrhinae Genera Geometra (etc) Inchworm redirects here. ...
See also | 
Feeds |
Contact