About Butterflies

Butterflies are a large group of insects found throughout most of the world. One reason why butterflies and moths are considered insects is because if their 3 body parts: head, abdomen, and thorax. All insects have these three body parts. Along with moths, they comprise the insect order Lepidoptera meaning scale wing). The moths comprise the great majority of the 100,000 species of the order.


Differences between Butterflies and Moths

* Butterfly antennae are knobbed at the tips, while those of moths almost never have terminal knobs and are often feathery.

* The body of a butterfly is more slender and usually smoother than a moth.

* Butterflies are active by day (diurnal), while most moths are active by night (nocturnal).

Monarch butterfly bonus challenge

During the summer months, the monarch lives in the northern part of the United States and Canada. At the end of the summer, they begin their southward migration to Mexico. They cannot fly when the temperature drops below 55 degrees. It takes them about 25 days for the monarch to travel the distance. They go 80-100 miles a day. They can fly up to 20 mph at altitudes up to 10,000 feet. The nectar from marigolds, foxgloves, and buttercups gives them energy.

By November 1, all of the monarchs have arrived to the top of the same mountain in Angangueo, Mexico. The oyamel fir tree supports 30-40 million butterflies at once. They spend the winter here and mate on the spring return north. These fragile creatures have a life span of only a few months, therefore, the monarchs who return north are not the same ones that made the same trip the year before. Yet, they return to the same exact spot. How they know the way is one of the great mysteries of nature.

Monarch butterflies are often tagged and tracked to see how long their flight takes.