Creating a Butterfly Garden Did You Know...? A List of Butterflies Butterflies & Blooms Blue Willow Home Page

Did you know?

• Butterflies taste with their feet.
• They feed through a long thin straw like tube called a proboscis which they sink into the flower to suck up nectar. When not in use, it's coiled up inside the head. Some Butterflies feed on the juices of rotting fruit.
• The average life-span of a butterfly is two to three weeks. The exception are migrating species like our own Monarchs whcih can live up to six months.
• Butterfly wings are made of tiny scales arranged like shingles as seen on a roof of a house. These scales are what establishes the colours and patterns on the wings. By touching the wings, the scales could come off, it looks like powder and without the scales the wings are very fragile.
• A person who collects many types of insects is called an Entomologist.
• Some butterflies and moths live through the winter as eggs, others in the larvae and chrysalis stage (Caterpillar), while some as adults (butterflies). The adults often hide in leaf piles, under loose bark and stones.
• Some caterpillars protect themselves by being covered with hair or spines. Some caterpillars also contain poisonous or distasteful juices.
• Butterflies are insects because they have 6 legs.
• In some countries butterflies are now protected by government laws because of their rarity.
• The upper wings of butterflies and moths are called "forewings" while the lower wings are called "hindwings".
• Most butterlies fly during the day while most moths fly at night.
• Many male butterflies have special scent scales on their wings to carry perfume. This helps in attracting a mate.
• Butterflies usually have thin slender bodies, while moths have fat, furry bodies.
• Some butterfly and moth enemies are: spiders, birds, snakes, frogs.
• The spanish word for butterfly is Mariposa
• The french word for butterfly is Papillon
• Some butterflies and moths make crackling or rattling sounds when alarmed or disturbed. This scares off predators (enemies).
• As a caterpillar grows it sheds it's skin several times, this is also known as "molting".
• The earliest fossil records of butterflies and moths date to 100 million years ago.
• After hatching from a chrysalis or coccon the butterfly or moth begins to pump blood into their folded wings. Once the wings have expanded to their full size and dried, the specimen is as big as it will ever be.

NOW HERE - TROPICAL BUTTERFLIES!

SOME INTERESTING CHARACTERISTICS OF A BUTTERFLY

Butterflies have variuous colours and patterns on their wings which act as protection from predators. This camouflaging ability enables them to blend in with the trunks of trees and the flowers of necture producing plants. Some butterflies advertise that they do not taste good by displaying bright, bold warning signs.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY

The life of a butterfly starts as an egg. This egg then hatches into a creeping, voracious caterpillar. Regular use of insecticides in your garden may injure and eventually kill the larvae. Your butterfly garden should be filled with larvae (caterpillar) host plants. Female butterflies search out host plants to lay their eggs on. Once a caterpillar reaches the desired state, they form a chrysalis or cocoon and metamorphose inside this container into a butterfly or moth.

Butterflies and moths are the adult stage. this life cycle is known as a four stage life cycle.

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORIES AND FARMS...ARE THEY BENEFICIAL?

There are around 170,000 species of butterflies and moths in the entire world, many with the most incredible patterns and colours that can be seen in nature . Of course, a butterfly is most beautiful in it's natural habitat, but we are rarely able to see it. Most butterflies live only for 2 to 3 weeks and some can only be observed during certain times of the year.

Today many butterflies are raised on butterfly farms specifically for the purpose of preservation, not only for our enjoyment but to enhance species that may be in danger of becoming extinct.

Many governments are encouraging the farming of butterflies as a means of providing money to encourage habitat preservation as well. These farms are replacing conventional farms, which not only helps to conserve the environment but provides a viable income for developing countries and provides a source of "rare" and collectible insects for collectors and conservatories around the world.

In addition, many conservatories are raising their own native species of butterflies, as opposed to sending out hordes of gatherers to cull specimens from the wild butterfly population. This is truely a win - win solution for us and for the Butterflies!