BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies
cause damage to crops in the larva stage but the adult is a pollinator of
flowers.
The female butterflies have conspicuous black spots on the fore wings for attracting the male during mating.
Differences between butterflies and moths:
- Butterflies feed during the day (they are diurnal) where as moths feed at night (they are nocturnal).
- The antennae of butterflies have knots at the tips whereas the antennae of moths have pointed tips.
- At rest the wings of a butterfly are folded backwards vertically whereas in moths the wings lie horizontally when at rest.
Life cycle of a butterfly:
- After mating, the adult female lays eggs underneath a leaf.
- After 10 days the eggs hatch into a caterpillar which has legs, prolegs and a pair of claspers for attachment during pupation.
- The caterpillar moves, feeds voraciously and moults five times.
- Two weeks later the caterpillar changes into a dormant pupa (chrysalis).
- Tissue reorganization goes on in the pupa.
- After one week, an adult butterfly with wings emerges.
FIGURE 12.32 Caterpillars feeding on a host plant.
