...Butterfly larvae, or caterpillars, consume plant leaves and spend practically all of their time in search of food. Although most caterpillars are herbivorous, a few species such as Spalgis epius and Liphyra brassolis are entomophagous (insect eating). Some larvae, especially those of the Lycaenidae, form mutual associations with ants. They communicate with the ants using vibrations that are transmitted through the substrate as well as using chemical signals.[4][5] The ants provide some degree of protection to these larvae and they in turn gather honeydew secretions. Caterpillars mature through a series of stages called instars. Near the end of each instar, the larva undergoes a process called apolysis, in which the cuticle, a tough outer layer made of a mixture of chitin and specialized proteins, is released from the softer epidermis beneath, and the epidermis begins to form a new cuticle beneath. At the end of each instar, the larva moults the old cuticle, and the new cuticle expands, before rapidly hardening and developing pigment. Development of butterfly wing patterns begins by the last larval instar. Butterfly caterpillars have three pairs of true legs from the thoracic segments and up to 6 pairs of prolegs arising from the abdominal segments. These prolegs have rings of tiny hooks called crochets that help them grip the substrate. Some caterpillars have the ability to inflate parts of their head to appear snake-like. Many have false eye-spots to enhance this...
Words: 356 - Pages: 2
...A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). All the many other families within the Lepidoptera are referred to as moths. The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, between 40–50 million years ago. Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some, like the Monarch, will migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage domestic crops or trees; however, some species are agents of pollination of some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies (e.g., Harvesters) eat harmful insects. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts. Wing development Wings or wing pads are not visible on the outside of the larva, but when larvae are dissected, tiny developing wing disks can be found on the second and third thoracic segments, in place of the spiracles that are apparent on abdominal segments. Wing disks develop...
Words: 727 - Pages: 3
...Inman-Roden Reading Assignment #1 Butterfly life history and temperature adaptations, dry open habitats select for increased fecundity and longevity Butterflies occupy many habitats from the tropics to the Artic with an extreme range of temperatures that affect their ability to deal with the environment. Body temperature is a crucial factor that affects reproductive performance. (Karlsson, Wiklund) Changes in temperature propose related performance curves can trigger a selective response in life history traits. This article explains the study of four types of butterflies and which environment they are most likely to reproduce in. They tested this idea by exploring how fecundity (fertility) and longevity are changed by different temperatures. They studied four types of saytrine butterflies, two were open landscape butterflies and two were classified as “woodland” butterflies. They tested to see which butterflies adapted to dry open landscapes as opposed to closed forest landscapes by keeping egg laying females in five different environments, temperatures ranging from 68 and 104 degrees. Two of the butterflies were tested in dry and hot environments and two were tested in shady environments. The open landscape group peaked at a higher temperature at 86 degrees and the group that was placed in a shady environment peaked at 77 degrees. The durability decreased with higher temperatures among all 4 butterflies. However the open landscape butterflies survived better in higher climates...
Words: 385 - Pages: 2
...According to National Geographic monarch butterflies travel up to 3,000 miles each fall to their wintering site in central Mexico. In 2004, an estimated 550 million completed the winter migration, while in 2003 only 33 million arrived. Further, between 2012 and 2013, there was a 43.7 percent decrease in the area occupied by the butterflies in the winter sanctuaries, the decline has numerous reasons: climate change, deforestation, and habitat loss, agricultural use of pesticides and herbicides Monarch butterflies are known for the incredible mass migration that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey, the insects must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they tarry too long. Monarch butterflies reflect ecosystem health and biodiversity, they are pollinators which make them very important for plan reproduction, and ecosystem sustainability. During the journey north, monarchs produce four generations, and share habitat with small birds and animals which feed larger birds and animals. Monarch butterflies begin life as eggs and hatch as larvae that eat their eggshells and, subsequently, the milkweed plants on which they were placed, short after that the larvae become juicy, colorful caterpillars, then create a hard protective case around themselves as they enter the pupa stage. Although Monarch butterflies may well qualify as one of the most beautiful...
Words: 1543 - Pages: 7
...| Life of Butterflies | | 9/22/2014 | UDL Lesson Plan Subject:Science | Grade: 2nd | Common Core State Standard(s):Common Core State Standards2.L.1 Understand animal life cycles. 2.L.1.1 Summarize the life cycle of animals: Birth Developing into an adult Reproducing Aging and death 2.L.1.2 Compare life cycles of different animals such as, but not limited to, mealworms, ladybugs, crickets, guppies... | Objective (*Three components are observable verb, learning outcome, and measurement. *Aligned to state standard and evidence of mastery):80 % of students will be able to identify and describe the life cycle of a butterfly.80 % of students will be able to demonstrate that the life cycle of the butterfly is different than other animals.80 % of students will be able to demonstrate their understanding that at the beginning of an animal’s life cycle, some young animals represent the adult while others do not. | Teaching Procedures(to include introduction of the lesson, and step-by-step procedures for the activites to promote student inquiry and checking for students’ understanding over the course of the activites)First share Background information: There are many ways to study a complete life cycle of an organism. A complete life cycle has four stages: egg, larva, pupae and adult. In this exercise students learn the stages in a complete life cycle by using pastashapes to create a model of a simple life cycle. Pasta comes in a variety of shapes. Students will enjoy creating...
Words: 891 - Pages: 4
...Butterfly Garden The Butterfly garden plants are primarily native plants with some noninvasive foreign plants that provide a continuous supply of nectar and host plants for the butterfly and caterpillars, as recommended by the NJ Native Plant Society. Plants should be obtained from local nurseries within 50 miles of Newark that propagate native species. Three possible sources are Toadshade Nursery, Clemeson Farms and Bowman Nurseries. Some plants, such as fennel, dill and parsley are easily propagated from seed. There are six types of endangered butterflies in NJ. These are: Mitchells Satyr, Arogos Skipper, Appalachian grizzled Skipper, frosted Elfin, Silver-bordered Fritillary and Checkered White. We hope to provide food source to feed these. The butterfly site, basically a prairie meadow, should be in an open area with good circulation and receiving more than six hours of sun each day, so probably on the south and east side of the buildings. The plants can be planted spring or early fall. The “recipe” recommended by the NJ Native Plant Society is 1/3-1/2 grasses to ½-2/3 wildflowers. Native grasses are especially good later in the season after the flowers have bloomed. Minimal maintaince is key, since NJIT doesn’t have many resources for this and mowing once a year in the early spring before nesting season should be enough. Adult butterflies require nectar from flowers which are more decorative and can be...
Words: 314 - Pages: 2
...Name: Professor: Course: Date: The Dawn Appears with Butterflies Joy Harjo’s poem “The Dawn Appears with Butterflies” describes death and dying, familial relationships and spirituality. It is a story told in first person, of a young husband who has died suddenly, leaving his wife “to the grace (that) we pursue as wild horses (pursue) the wind,” (lines 17,18) and the young widow has to leave before dawn to prepare her late husband’s body for burial. It is the widow’s friend, who tells this story in prose, surmising that life is the “gradual return to the maker of the butterflies” (line 29). It is a story of grievance and preparation for burial that comes off as humorous as well as deeply unreasonable and confusing. The speaker and the young widow spend the night before the funeral, waiting for dawn and the depth of the widow’s loss is counterbalanced – “your tears made a pale butterfly, the color of dawn” (line 25)- by the depth of connection with the universe and the acceptance of the inescapability of death to us all. It is Harjo’s use of the butterflies-at-dawn imagery that infuses joy and triumph over the darkness in the incessant continuum of dawn versus darkness, and brings about thoughts on the nature of grief and the part that spirituality plays in the grieving process. In this poem, Harjo uses several elements. She uses metaphors in some instances “Your grief is the dark outlining the stars” (lines 18, 19), “Everything is a prayer for this journey” (line 58), and...
Words: 1193 - Pages: 5
...Outline of the Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly Betty Boatwright PRES111-1203B-23 7/30/12 American Intercontinental University The Life Cycle of the Monarch Specific purpose: To inform the audience about where the Monarch butterfly originated, and how they migrate from north to south. Central idea: Butterflies are beautiful creatures, but must go through several processing stages in order to become a Monarch butterfly. Introduction I. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder in nature. A. The flight of the Monarch butterfly can take your imagination to places it has never been before. B. Their beautiful colors can give you the feeling of joy and happiness. II. A thing of beauty can be kept on your mine for years to come. III. This is my passion because the Monarch butterflies are peaceful and their colors are hypnotizing. IV. Today I will be addressing the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly and how it progresses from stage to stage. (Transition: Let’s start at the beginning of the Monarch butterfly.) Body I. Today I will talk about the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly, what the word Monarch means, and where it evolved from. A. The Monarch butterfly is a large migratory American butterfly with orange and black wings with black veins and borders. 1. The name Monarch comes from Kesh’s buju. 2. Where did the Monarch butterfly come from? The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a wide spread tropical insect that ranges as far north as Canada...
Words: 792 - Pages: 4
...Butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year depending on the species. Many species have long larval life stages while others can remain dormant in their pupal or egg stages and thereby survive winters.[3] Butterflies may have one or more broods per year. The number of generations per year varies from temperate to tropical regions with Butterfly eggs are protected by a hard-ridged outer layer of shell, called the chorion. This is lined w Eggs are almost invariably laid on plants. Each species of butterfly has its own hostplant range and while some species of butterfly are restricted to just one species of plant, others use a range of plant species, often including members of a common family.[citation needed] The egg stage lasts a few weeks in most butterflies but eggs laid close to winter, especially in temperate regions, go through a diapause (resting) stage, and the hatching may take place only in spring. Other butterflies may lay their eggs in the spring and have them hatch in the summer. These butterflies are usually northern species, such as the Mourning Cloak (Camberwell Beauty) and the Large and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.[citation needed] Caterpillars Caterpillars of Junonia coenia. Butterfly larvae, or caterpillars, consume plant leaves and spend practically all of their time in search of food. Although most caterpillars are herbivorous, a few species such as Spalgis epius and Liphyra brassolis are entomophagous (insect...
Words: 1081 - Pages: 5
...Vanessa virginiensis The Monarch Butterfly, or Vanessa virginiensis, is a large orange or black butterfly that is most known for its distinctive multi-generational migration from Canada to Mexico and vice versa. Many conservation societies are beginning to raise awareness about the conservation and safe use of herbicides that have affected the Monarch over the last few years, after a ten-fold decrease in the population. The Monarch can be found in the entirety of the Continental United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, depending on the season. As well as being found in the United States, a common attractant of the butterfly is a plant called milkweed, which is often a host plant in which the Monarchs’ eggs are laid. Monarchs have many...
Words: 256 - Pages: 2
...7. Monarch Butterfly Migration [ http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/monarch-butterflies-flying-during-a-warm-high-res-stock-photography/102334428 ] [http://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/monarch-butterflies.html#details51435102 ] Monarch butterflies migrate in spectacular flocks of color in various U.S. and Canadian locations during the fall when the butterflies return to a warmer climate in Mexico. These flocks travel thousands of miles, but no single butterfly survives the trip. Female monarchs lay eggs during the migration, and their offspring continue the journey. These amazing insects use their antenna to tell them when the sun rises and sets and automatically process the information internally to keep them geospatially on course. The butterflies cover between 25 and 30 miles per day, lay hundreds of eggs each and continue on their way. The children and grandchildren continue the journey. 8. Light Pillars [ http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-image-light-pillar-visual-phenomenon-created-reflection-light-ice-crystals-near-horizontal-parallel-image29750046 ]...
Words: 1069 - Pages: 5
...Background Monarch butterflies can get unlimited frequent flyer miles since they can fly about 250 miles a day. Monarch butterflies, which translates to “king of butterflies,” are native North American butterflies. They are classified into eleven different species, three of which are found in North America, whereas the rest spread across the world throughout the Caribbean, the Pacific region, South America, Eastern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America (“Monarch Systematics”). In addition, the largest population of monarch butterflies reside in North America, Central America and Australia, although monarchs are still sighted in Southwest Europe and the Hawaiian Islands. Danaus plexippus is the species of monarch butterflies found in North America (“Global Distribution”)....
Words: 1377 - Pages: 6
...How technique works: The group Monarch Watch creates a kit for tagging Monarch butterflies. Each kit includes a sheet with 25 tags, a premigration newsletter, datasheet and instructions. The tags are stickers made up of polypropylene sheets printed with waterproof ink. Each sticker contains a series of three letters and three numbers and each year the tags receive their own unique series of numbers. Listed on the tag along with the unique identification number, includes an email address and phone number. The tags are available to anyone who wishes to volunteer and assist with the process. The process is performed by many volunteers throughout the US and Canada. The fall migration tagging goes from late August thru October, with concentrated efforts in September and early October when the butterflies migrate south to Mexico. Using a net, the butterfly is captured and removed from the net by firmly grasping the thorax. Once the butterfly is taken out of the net the tag is placed on discal cell on the underside of the hindwing. The sticker is placed in this spot because it is closer to the center of lift and gravity and does not hinder the butterflies’ flight. This position also is less harmful to the butterflies. Once the butterflies are tagged, the volunteer records the date, location and any other information on the datasheet they received with their packet. The butterfly is then released to continue its long journey. The information from the tag is sent back to Monarch Watch...
Words: 669 - Pages: 3
...Chaos theory teaches us that small events can have enormous consequences. An opening title informs us that butterfly flapping its wings in Asia could result in a hurricane halfway around the world. Yes, although given the number of butterflies and the determination with which they flap their little wings, isn't it extraordinary how rarely that happens? "The Butterfly Effect" applies this theory to the lives of four children whose early lives are marred by tragedy. When one of them finds that he can go back in time and make changes, he tries to improve the present by altering the past. The characters as young adults are played by Ashton Kutcher, as Evan, a college psych major; Amy Smart and William Lee Scott as Kayleigh and Tommy, a brother and sister with a pedophile father; and Elden Henson as Lenny, their friend. The story opens in childhood, with little Evan seriously weird. His drawings at kindergarten are sick and twisted (and also, although nobody ever mentions it, improbably good for a child). He has blackouts, grabs kitchen knives, frightens his mother (Melora Walters), becomes a suitable case for treatment. A shrink suggests that he keep a daily journal. This he does, although apparently neither the shrink nor the mother ever read it, or their attention might have been snagged by entries about how Mr. Miller (Eric Stoltz), father of Kayleigh and Tommy, forced them all to act in kiddie porn movies. Evan hangs onto the journals, and one day while reading an old one at...
Words: 832 - Pages: 4
...Butterfly Beauties, Inc. Group 5 Karey Brown Jeff Fortenberry Suzie Hall Samantha Vazquez International Issues Business BUSI 4703 Dr. Juan Castro December 17, 2002 Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Why Butterfly Farming? 2 The History of Butterflies and Butterfly Farming 4 The Business of Butterfly Farming Butterflies 5 A Day in the Life of a Butterfly Farmer 6 Country Analysis: Costa Rica 8 The Land 9 Plant and Animal Life 10 The People 11 Greetings and Courtesies 13 Business Culture 14 The Economy 16 Table 1 17 Graphs 1, 2 18 Finance 18 Table 2 19 Government 19 Education 20 Health and Welfare 20 Resources 21 Agriculture 21 Table of Contents (cont.) Industry 22 Trade 22 Transportation 23 Butterfly Beauties, Inc. Operations Equipment and Supplies 25 Employees 27 Marketing Butterflies 28 Exportation/Shipping 31 Conclusion 32 Works Cited 33 Butterfly Beauties brochure Appendix Butterfly Beauties, Inc. Butterfly Farming in Costa Rica Executive Summary While the name may seem somewhat "flighty," butterfly farming is a serious business opportunity. The...
Words: 8667 - Pages: 35
