What is characteristic of the order Lepidoptera. Types of butterflies: appearance, varieties, insect structure

Family: Bombycidae = True silkworms
Family: Brahmaeidae = Wavy-eyed peacocks, brahmae
Family: Galleriidae = Wax moths
Family: Tineidae = True moths
Species: Tineola bisselliella Hummel, 1823 = Clothes moth
Family: Heliconidae = Heliconidae
Species: Heliconia melpomena = Heliconia
Family: Endromididae = Birch silkworms, silkwings
Species: Endromis versicolora = Birch silkworm
Family: Geometridae = Moths
Species: Bupalus piniarius = Pine moth
Family: Hepialidae = Thin weavers
Species: Phassus schamyl = Caucasian spiny weed
Family: Hesperiidae = Fatheads
Family: Lasiocampidae = Cocoon moths
Family: Lycaenidae = Bluebirds
Family: Lymantriidae = Lymantriidae
Family: Noctuidae = Noctuidae
Family: Notodontidae = Corydalis
Family: Nymphalidae = Nymphalidae
Family: Papilionidae = Sailboats, cavaliers
Family: Pieridae = Whitefishes
Species Colias philodice = North American yellowjacket
Species Aporia crataegi Linnaeus, 1758 = Hawthorn
Family: Pyralidae = Moths (true), moths
Family: Riodinidae = Checkers
Family: Satyridae = Marigolds, satyrids, ocelli
Family: Sesiidae = Glassworts
Family: Sphingidae = Hawk Moths
Family: Syntomidae = False variegates, false variegates
Family: Thaumetopoeidae = Marching silkworms
Family: Thyatiridae = Owlweeds
Family: Zygaenidae = Speckles

Brief description of the squad

Lepidoptera (butterflies) are one of the largest orders of insects, numbering about 150 thousand species. They are distributed throughout the world, especially numerous in the tropics. There are over 15 thousand species of butterflies in the CIS. Representatives of the squad have four wings. The latter are covered with modified hairs - scales, sometimes brightly colored and forming characteristic “patterns” on the surface of the wings.
Probably, the order of Lepidoptera arose V Mesozoic era (Jurassic period). Among other insects, butterflies represent a relatively “young” group, the greatest development of which coincides with the flowering of flowering plants in Cretaceous period. However, fossil remains of butterflies - mainly from Baltic amber - are known only from the Paleogene. All the species found belong to modern families, and often even to existing or very close genera.
Dimensions bodies vary widely: from the smallest moths (3-8 mm in wingspan) to the largest diurnal butterflies, ocelli and cutworms (25-30 cm).
The head is inactive, free, round in shape. Here there are highly developed convex compound eyes, occupying a significant part of the surface of the head, usually round or oval, surrounded by hairs. In addition to the compound eyes, there are sometimes two simple ocelli on the crown behind the antennae.
In different groups of butterflies, the antennae, or antennae, come in a wide variety of shapes: filiform, bristle-shaped, club-shaped, fusiform, feathery.
Males usually have more developed antennae than females. The eyes and antennae with the olfactory sensilla located on them are the most important sensory organs of the butterfly.
Oral apparatus in the vast majority of lepidoptera it is a characteristic sucking proboscis, adapted for absorbing free liquids and sucking nectar from flowers. U lower forms, for example in the toothed moth family Micropterygidae, mouthparts of a gnawing type, with the help of which butterflies feed on plant pollen. In some butterflies, the oral organs are completely reduced, so they do not feed in the adult phase.
In most groups, the fore wings are larger than the hind wings and differ from them in shape; sometimes vice versa. The body is covered with scales - highly modified and flattened hairs, varied in shape. They contain coloring pigments that affect the color of the wings. In flight, both wings operate simultaneously, which is achieved by coupling the front pair with the rear pair using special coupling mechanisms. In a calm state, diurnal butterflies have wings folded vertically over their backs, while night butterflies usually lie along the body in a roof-like manner.
Transformation complete. Larvae butterflies are called caterpillars. They have three pairs of thoracic limbs and usually 5 pairs of abdominal prolegs. The mouthparts of caterpillars, in contrast to the gnawing type of imago. Caterpillars Most species lead an open lifestyle. Some forms live in the soil. Finally, a number of species settle in plant tissues (leaves, wood, etc.), on which they feed, making passages in them. Covered type pupae.
Many butterflies cause damage to agriculture and forestry. Thus, gnawing, or ground cutworms (for example, the winter cutworm - Agrotis segetum, the caterpillar of which is called the “winter worm”) eat the underground and root parts of plants, in particular winter grains. Representatives of whites (cabbage whites - Pieris brassicae etc.) seriously harm garden crops: caterpillars eat cabbage, turnips, radishes, etc.
Among the butterflies there is many tree pests. These are, for example, moths: winter moth - Operophthera brumata(caterpillars eat the buds and leaves of fruit trees); pine moth - Bupalus piniarius; cocoon moths: ringed cocoon moth - Malacosoma neustria, harmful deciduous trees; leafrollers: oak leafroller - Tortrix viridana, severely damaging oak leaves; wood borers (for example, willow wood borer - Cossus cossus), large caterpillars of which make deep passages in forest and fruit trees, and many other representatives. Outbreaks of mass reproduction of harmful species can last for several years.
Silkworm ( Bombyx mori) are bred to produce natural silk. The caterpillars of these butterflies have special glands that secrete a protein substance called fibroin, which hardens in the air, turning into a silk thread. When the caterpillar reaches full growth, it makes a cocoon from the thread, in which it pupates. In silk-reeling factories, silk yarn is spun from cocoon threads. Oak silkworms are also bred ( Antherea pemyi), from the cocoons of which coarser yarn is obtained, which is used to make chesuchi fabric.
Among Lepidoptera there are many species whose caterpillars are pests of forests and gardens. Thus, gypsy moth caterpillars ( Lymantria dispar), feeding on the leaves of various trees, during years of mass reproduction they can destroy entire tracts of forests and gardens.
Ringed silkworm ( Malacosoma neustria) lays eggs in a ring around tree branches (hence its name). In years of high numbers, caterpillars cause enormous damage to deciduous trees by eating foliage.
Pine silkworm ( Dendrolimus pini) is one of the main pests of pine, often destroying pine forests over a large area.
Goldentail ( Euproctis chrysorrhoea) is a small white moth, the end of the abdomen is covered with golden hairs.
Caterpillars severely damage fruit trees by eating leaves. They overwinter in large nests built from leaves connected by silk threads.
Hawthorn ( Aporia crataegi) - large day butterfly white with blackish wing veins. The caterpillar lives on fruit trees. Pest of orchards.
Apple moth ( Hyponomeuta malinella) is a small white butterfly with black spots, similar in size and shape to an ordinary house moth. The caterpillars live in groups on apple tree leaves under a thin layer of cobwebs. A serious pest of apple orchards.
Apple codling moth ( Laspeyresia pomonella) is a small nocturnal butterfly whose caterpillar lives in the pulp of apple fruits. Apples with a wormhole fall off early and their value decreases sharply.
Of the butterflies whose caterpillars cause damage to garden crops, we must first mention the widespread cabbage white butterfly ( Pieris brassicae), named for its pure white coloration with several black spots on the wings.
The caterpillar severely damages cabbage and some other garden plants. Caterpillars of the smaller turnip white ( Pieris rapae) harm turnips, rutabaga, and radishes.
The caterpillars of a number of butterflies also damage grain crops.
Thus, caterpillars of the moth of the winter armyworm ( Scotia segetum) feed mainly on cereal seedlings.
The order contains about 100,000 species

Morphologically Lepidoptera (butterflies) constitute a fairly compact group of winged insects. The entire body and 4 wings are densely covered with scales and partially with hairs. The head has large faceted eyes, well-developed labial palps and a long spirally twisted sucking proboscis located between them. The wings are usually wide, triangular, less often narrow or even lanceolate. The front and rear wings are fastened to each other with a special coupling device. The most common is the frenate type of wing coupling. In this case, traction is achieved using the frenulum (frenulum) and retinanulum (hitch). The frenulum is represented by one or several strong setae at the base of the hind wing, and the toe is either a row of setae or a curved outgrowth at the base of the fore wing. The venation of the wings of Lepidoptera is characterized by a significant (reduction of the transverse veins and slight branching of the main longitudinal trunks. The scales on the wings are differently colored and often form a rather complex pattern. Structural coloring (spots with a metallic sheen) is often observed. A fringe consisting of several rows of scales and hairs. In the thoracic region, the mesothorax is most developed. The prothorax on the sides of the tergite bears lobe-shaped appendages - patagia. In the mesothorax, similar formations are located above the base of the fore wings and are called tegulae. The oges are running, often with spurs on the legs. Some lepidopterans have fore legs strongly (reduced, hidden in the hair, and the butterflies move on four legs. The abdomen consists of 9 segments. The last segment is sharply modified, especially in males, in which it forms the copulatory apparatus. In females, the last segments of the abdomen (usually from the seventh to the ninth) converted into a telescopic soft ovipositor. In most cases reproductive system In female butterflies, it opens outwards with two genital openings. One of them, terminal, serves only for laying eggs, the second, located either at the end of the seventh segment or at the eighth segment, is a copulatory opening.

Family ermine moths (hyponomeutidae) - butterflies usually have a branched radius of the fore wings to form a radial cell. Moths, their caterpillars eat the leaves of an apple or bird cherry tree, respectively, entwining them with cobwebs. Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are seriously damaged by the cabbage moth (Plutella maculipennis).

Leaf roller family (Tortricidae)- differs from moth-like ones by wider elongated triangular fore wings, often with a transversely chopped off apex, the hind wings are elongated oval, without a long fringe.

Nymphalidae family Representatives of this family are distinguished by the underdeveloped front legs of butterflies; the pupa hangs head down.

Whitefish family (pieridae)– butterflies usually have white or yellow wings, the pupae are attached at the rear end of the body and are also girded with a silk thread. These include the pests cabbage grass (pieris brassicae) and turnip grass (pieris rapae).

Cocoon moth family (lasiocampidae) butterflies average size or large, with a thick, densely hairy body. The antennae of males are feathery, while those of females are comb-like. There are no proboscis. The wings are wide, usually without hooks. These include the ringed moth (malacosoma Neustria).

Noctuidae family– the proboscis is developed, the front wings usually have a characteristic scoop pattern, consisting of 5 thin wavy transverse stripes and 3 median spots. These include the fall armyworm (agrotis segetum), which severely damages the seedlings of winter crops in the fall.

Ursa family (arctiidae) characterized by a developed proboscis, the caterpillars are very hairy, hence the name of the family.

Volnyanka family (lymantriidae) are distinguished by an underdeveloped proboscis, feathery antennae of the male, caterpillars with tufts of hairs, the pupa is usually hairy, in a rare silky cocoon, on plants or among plant debris. This includes the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar).

Lepidoptera, or butterflies, are one of the most numerous orders of insects from the arthropod phylum. Characteristic feature All representatives of the order are characterized by the presence of scaly, multi-colored cover of the wings.

Currently, about 150 thousand species are known, distributed throughout to the globe, with the exception of Antarctica. The fauna of tropical regions is especially rich in diverse, brightly colored butterflies. The order Lepidoptera includes two suborders: Homoptera and Heteroptera. The latter includes most of the currently known butterflies. These are colorful moths, peacock eyes, moths, nymphalids, moths, as well as inconspicuous moths, garden pests - leaf rollers, etc.

Reproduction . Insects of this order are characterized by complete transformation in the process of development, that is, a larva hatches from the egg, not similar in appearance to the adult. The larvae (caterpillars) have a gnawing type mouthparts and an elongated body. In addition to three pairs of thoracic legs, the larva has 2-5 pairs of abdominal pseudopods - non-segmented oblong structures with claws at the ends. The larvae of many species, such as apple moths, form web nests where several individuals feed together and hide from enemies. Salivary glands The caterpillars, in addition to saliva, also secrete silk threads, from which they weave a protective cocoon for the pupa, into which the larva turns after several molts. After a certain period, a fully formed adult insect (imago) emerges from the pupa. The imago of the order Lepidoptera is characterized by a short life span - from several hours (in non-feeding species) to several months.

The annual development cycles of butterflies differ among different species. Most species produce one generation per year, some - two or more. The vast majority of Lepidoptera are night look life, some species are active during the daytime.

Structure. The sizes of representatives of the order Lepidoptera vary widely - from 2 mm to 15 cm. The smallest butterfly is the baby moth, which lives on the Canary Islands, the largest is the Maaka swallowtail, common in Europe.

Just like other insects, the body is divided into head, chest and abdomen. The outer durable chitinous cover forms the exoskeleton.

All adult individuals have two pairs of wings covered with modified scale hairs. These scales determine the pattern and color of the wings, thanks to the combination of colored and colorless scales that refract Sun rays and giving the wings a metallic shine. The coloring of the wings can be bright, scaring off enemies, or faded, adaptive (for mimicry). All butterflies fly well, some are capable of long flights.

The oral apparatus of butterflies is of the sucking type and is a plastic, spirally twisted proboscis for feeding on liquid substances, in particular, flower nectar. Some moths lack a proboscis and have gnawing type mouthparts. There are antennae of various sizes and shapes - organs of smell and touch. Large compound eyes located on the sides of the head are well developed. Characterized by the presence of a hearing aid and taste organs.

All butterflies are dioecious. Some species exhibit sexual dimorphism.

The meaning of Lepidoptera in nature and human life is enormous. Adult butterflies are excellent plant pollinators. But caterpillars of many species (for example, gypsy moth, cabbage moth, apple moth) harm cultivated plants. Sometimes caterpillars certain types used in weed control. People have been breeding mulberry and oak silkworms for silk for a long time. Many large butterflies attract with their beauty, for example, swallowtail and Apollo. Entomological collections, both private and scientific, have been collected for a long time. With the increase in the number of collectors, butterfly farms have even been created in some countries. More than 100 species of butterflies are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book.

Butterfly squad or Lepidoptera insects description representatives development oral apparatus larva characteristics

Latin name Lepidoptera

Multicolored, often brightly colored and conspicuous butterflies usually attract the most attention from both adults and children. They are so different characteristic features, that often you do not need to be knowledgeable in zoology to establish that you are dealing with a butterfly. The first thing that catches your eye is the structure of the wings, which is very characteristic of butterflies. U butterflies two pairs of very large wings (compared to the size of the insect), painted in a wide variety of colors. Their color depends on the color and location of the scales. Scales are hollow chitinous plates of the most varied shapes, in most cases completely covering the wing, overlapping each other in a tiled manner. They form pollen on the wings of butterflies. Scales are modified hairs. The wings of butterflies are characterized by almost longitudinal venation; cross veins are practically absent.

Characteristics of Lepidoptera

The large wings of butterflies make a few beats per second - up to 10 for large butterflies and a little more for smaller butterflies. The butterfly flutters - its flight is irregular, zigzag. This should be considered as useful feature, because thanks to its bright color, a flying butterfly is noticeable from afar. But it is not easy for a bird to grab a butterfly in flight due to its fluttering flight.

Butterflies, with the exception of a very few lower butterflies (moths), have a typical sucking mouthparts. It is represented by a long proboscis, which is spirally twisted at rest. In some forms, the oral organs are reduced.

On the head of butterflies it is easy to distinguish highly developed compound eyes and a pair of antennae, which have a wide variety of shapes in different groups of butterflies. The eyes and antennae with the olfactory organs located on them are the most important sensory organs of the butterfly.

The structure of the thoracic region of the body is characterized by a fixed connection of the chest segments with each other with a noticeably predominant development of the mesothorax. The thoracic legs are usually not very strong, sometimes thin and weak, but tenacious, with the help of which butterflies are held on flowers, on the bark of trees, etc. On the lower leg of the first pair of legs there are special brushes, with the help of which they clean the antennae.

Butterflies Reproduction of Lepidoptera, caterpillars

No less characteristic is the larva of butterflies - the caterpillar. It can always be distinguished from the larvae of other insects by the presence of pseudopods on the abdominal segments, usually no more than five pairs. Unlike the thoracic legs, pseudopods are non-segmented appendages, often equipped with a rim of hooks. The caterpillar has a well-differentiated head with a gnawing mouthpart and three pairs of jointed legs on the thoracic segments. With the help of all their legs, the caterpillars are firmly held on the leaves and stems of plants and move quickly.

The caterpillars of many butterflies are characterized by the presence of long hairs, evenly covering the entire body or arranged in tufts. These hairs have a protective value and are often associated with skin glands that secrete a poisonous secretion.

The caterpillars of most butterflies lead an open lifestyle, feeding mainly on plant leaves. They have a wide variety of colors, which in some cases have the meaning of concealing or protective, and in others - bright, warning colors.

During larval life, 5 molts usually occur (the fifth molt during pupation).

The internal organization of butterfly caterpillars is characterized by the presence of spinning silk glands. The substances secreted by these glands harden in the air into strong, silky threads, used by different species in different ways. Some caterpillars on released silks descend from tree branches; others attach pupae with them (whitefishes, etc.); still others entangle shoots and leaves with them or build cases from them in which pupation occurs (moths); finally, the caterpillars of real silkworms and some other butterflies curl cocoons, inside which they pupate.

Pupae of the vast majority of butterflies closed type, and their movement is limited by the movement of the abdomen when irritated.

Butterflies usually lay eggs where their larvae feed: on leaves, on the bark of trees, plant branches, etc. They find the plants that their caterpillars feed on using their sense of smell. Butterfly eggs are often quite large, covered with a durable shell - the chorion, which sometimes has a complex structure. They attach to the substrate.

Meaning

The importance of butterflies in nature and human economy is very great. At the same time, it is not so easy to decide whether the order of butterflies should be considered for the most part useful or harmful. Among butterflies there are a lot of pests of agricultural crops, sometimes very dangerous (winter armyworm, meadow moth, oak silkworm and other silkworms and cocoon moths, cabbage whitefly and many others). However, in the adult stage, many butterflies are undoubtedly useful, being important pollinators of the most variety of plants. In this regard, the role of butterflies in nature is very great, not to mention the fact that they occupy a prominent place in the nutrition of other animals, in particular birds.

Some butterflies have become particularly important industrially, as they provide raw materials for the silk industry. These are the silkworm (Bombyx mori) and the Chinese oak silkworm (AntheTaea pernyi).

The taxonomy of butterflies is quite complex and not well developed. The Lepidoptera order is large, currently numbering over 110,000 species. Below we will focus on the most important representatives of the order Lepidoptera, which have the greatest negative or positive value.

The order Lepidoptera is usually divided into two suborders: 1. Lower Lepidoptera, or Homoptera, butterflies; 2. Higher Lepidoptera, or heteroptera, butterflies. The first very small suborder of the most primitive butterflies in our fauna is represented by thin-winged butterflies. The second suborder is characterized by differences in the shape and venation of the wings of the front and rear pairs. It includes almost all lepidoptera known in our fauna. The suborder of higher lepidoptera is divided into a large number of families, which are usually combined into two groups: 1. Small heteroptera butterflies; 2. Large different-winged butterflies.

The first group includes inconspicuous, mostly very small butterflies, folding their wings like a roof on their back and often having a fringe of long hairs on the rear edge of the wings of the second pair. Many of the butterflies of this group are very serious pests with which humans have to fight hard. Small heteroptera butterflies include primarily the families of moths, leaf rollers and moths.

The house or furniture moth (Tineola biselliella) belongs to the moth family. A small moth butterfly lays eggs on woolen fabrics, carpets, upholstery, etc. Its larvae feed on fabric wool or fur, where they pupate in cases made from the secretions of the spinning glands. There are other types of moths that spoil household items. It is characteristic of all moths that the butterfly itself does not feed and its mouthparts are greatly reduced.
Other moths harm plants. Many of them cause great harm tree species, for example apple moth (Hyponomeuta malinellus). It overwinters in the stage of the first instar caterpillar, and in the spring the caterpillars, crawling around the tree, eat young buds and leaves, and the grown caterpillars entangle the branches with cobwebs. Other moths living on other fruit trees behave similarly. Poplar trees are often infested with poplar moths. Its larvae gnaw out the leaf parenchyma, leaving the skin intact. This method of damage is called leaf mining. The caterpillars of many herbivorous moths mine leaves. The cabbage moth (Plutella maculipennis) greatly damages cabbage in vegetable gardens.

Representatives of the leaf roller family are just as harmful. Compared to moths, they are larger (up to 20 mm in wingspan), with wider wings. The caterpillars of many leaf rollers roll up leaves. This family includes the codling moth (Laspeyresia pomonella), which causes great damage to apple orchards. The codling moth most often lays eggs on fruits that are setting. “Wormy” apples, infected by its caterpillars, fall from the tree. The caterpillars leave them, climb the tree and bite into healthy fruits, thereby causing great damage to the apple crop.

The third family of Lepidoptera, moths, includes a number of dangerous agricultural pests, including the meadow moth (Loxostege sticticalis). The meadow moth can cause especially great harm in the southern regions of Russia, Ukraine and the North Caucasus. Meadow moth caterpillars eat the foliage of a wide variety of plants, especially beets and corn. The meadow moth produces 2-3 generations per year, and in more southern areas, more generations. In years favorable for its reproduction, it appears in huge numbers and causes especially great harm, spreading beyond its permanent habitat.

It is impossible not to mention a small group of butterflies from the family of glassworts, or wasps. These butterflies have transparent wings, almost without scales, similar in shape to the wings of Hymenoptera (wasps, bees). Only by looking closely do we discern a different venation, typical of butterflies, and a characteristic fringe of hairs on the hind wings. The bee-eater (Aegeria apiformis) is commonly called the "bee-eater" because it resembles a hornet. The body of this butterfly in shape and color (dark abdomen with orange stripes) makes the resemblance to a hornet striking.

Glassworm caterpillars cause harm by damaging the wood of various trees (poplar, aspen, etc.), in which they gnaw passages.

The group of large heteropterous butterflies includes species that reach a wingspan of more than 30 mm and do not have a fringe on the hind wings. This group includes the most brightly colored superfamily of diurnal butterflies. They are characterized by the fact that in a calm state, a sitting butterfly folds its wings, lifting them up and placing their upper sides one against the other, and not in a roof-like manner, as all other butterflies do. A similar method of folding wings arose secondarily in butterflies, while folding the wings with a roof was primary, as is observed in caddisflies. Due to the fact that diurnal butterflies fly during the day, the upper surface of both pairs of wings (the most rametal) is usually brightly colored, which is important for recognizing individuals of their species and their sex. The butterfly is most at risk of being eaten by birds when it lands on plants, and therefore the underside of the wings of many diurnal butterflies has a protective coloring. For example, the upper side of the cabbage white wings is white and clearly visible during flight, and the lower side is greenish, making the butterfly sitting on the plant unnoticeable.

Of the most common daytime butterflies in our country, which can be found everywhere, even in big cities, it is necessary first of all to note the various representatives of the white butterfly family. This is the cabbage whiteweed, or cabbage weed (Pieris brassicae), whose caterpillars cause very serious damage to cabbage; cabbage-like pests of garden plants are reptiles (P. rapae) and rutabaga (P. napi). It is remarkable that cabbage caterpillars are quite variegated in color and are clearly visible on cabbage leaves, especially since they live in groups; Reptile caterpillars have an inconspicuous color and are found singly. Observations have shown that cabbage caterpillars are inedible and thus their conspicuous variegated coloration is warning, while the green coloration of the caterpillars of many other butterflies is protective.

If you rub the wings of a male cabbage grass with your fingers and then smell them, you will smell a faint scent of geranium; Male rutabaga emit the smell of lemon, and male reptiles smell of mignonette. These odors depend on special odorous scales on the wings of males - androconium.

The hawthorn (Aporia crataegi) also belongs to the whitethorn family. This is a large butterfly with translucent white wings. Its caterpillars cause severe damage to fruit trees.

In early spring, when the snow has not yet melted, the so-called spring butterflies surprise us with their early appearance. At the same time, attention is drawn to the unprepossessing, often rather shabby appearance of these relatively large butterflies. This is explained by the fact that they overwintered in the imaginal stage, climbing into various secluded places (under leaves, under bark, etc.), and awakened with the first rays of the spring sun. These butterflies have a second generation - the summer generation, developing from eggs laid in the spring. Among the early spring butterflies, the lemongrass (Gonepteryx rhamni), which is curious for its sexual dimorphism: the male is lemon-yellow, the female is greenish-yellow, is also very common.

Early spring butterflies also include representatives of the large genus Vanessa and other genera of the nymphalid family. These are the common urticae (Vanessa urticae), mourning butterfly (V. antiopa), peacock eye (V. io), etc. Some species of these butterflies (for example, urticaria, etc.) form varieties in more northern or southern regions that differ in pattern and wing color. Thus, in the north of the European part of Russia and Siberia there is a type of urticaria known as polaris. It is distinguished by a greater development of black pattern and a browner color.

Numerous experiments carried out by various scientists with urticaria and other related species have shown that by keeping pupae in the cold or at elevated temperatures, butterflies with altered coloring can be obtained. Moreover, the resulting forms are very similar to the natural northern and southern varieties. With stronger exposure of pupae to cold (below 0°C) or heat (41 - 46°C), greatly altered forms are obtained.

The tropical fauna of diurnal butterflies is rich in many large and brightly colored species.

The superfamily of silkworms includes several families of butterflies, the caterpillars of which pupate in silky cocoons, where they come from common name- silkworms. The antennae of these butterflies are feathery, especially the males. The different degrees of development of the antennae in males and females gave rise to the name - different antennae. The proboscis is usually underdeveloped; many butterflies do not feed.

True silkworms (family Bombycidae) are a few forms, distributed mainly in the tropics. The only fully domesticated species of butterfly, the silkworm (Bombyx mori), belongs to this family, so called because the food of its caterpillars - “silkworms” - are the leaves of the mulberry tree, or mulberry.

The silkworm does not exist in nature in the wild. It is not known exactly when, but probably at least 2500-3000 years ago, the silkworm was acclimatized by the Chinese. The silkworm was brought to Europe by the Arabs in the 8th century. Sericulture is currently widespread in many countries. It flourishes mainly in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and is also developing successfully in Ukraine. Currently there are various breeds silkworm, bred by man, which differ big amount silk in a cocoon 1 kg of raw cocoons gives over 90 g of raw silk. Different breeds differ in productivity, quality of silk and color of cocoons (yellow, white, green).

Silkworm butterflies are heavy, with a thick abdomen. Despite having wings, butterflies have lost the ability to fly as a result of domestication. They also don't eat. Males differ from females in having a thinner abdomen and feathery antennae. Coming out of the cocoon, they mate with females, the females lay eggs, or eggs, and soon die. Grena is obtained from butterflies at special grenading stations, where it is controlled (to avoid contamination with pebrina), and then sent to silkworm farms. Grena is stored during the winter at low temperatures. In the spring, when the mulberry blossoms, the grena “comes to life” at elevated temperatures (27°C).

Silkworm caterpillars have very developed silk glands that secrete threads of silk over 1000 m in length. Silkworm caterpillars are worm-shaped, fleshy, whitish in color, crawling relatively slowly, with a horn-like appendage at the end of the abdomen. It is remarkable that caterpillars fed in “worm hatches” on open shelves do not crawl off them. This feature of silkworm caterpillars, beneficial for silkworm breeders, developed, like the loss of the ability of butterflies to fly, under the influence of domestication. The development of caterpillars lasts 40-80 days. When the caterpillars reach their final instar, brooms made of twigs are placed on the shelves to curl cocoons on them. The resulting cocoons are soaked in hot steam and subjected to further processing - drying and unwinding.

Other interesting family butterflies that curl cocoons like real silkworms are the family of peacock-eyes, so named for the presence of large eye-shaped spots on the wings. This family includes the largest butterflies in the world: Attacus atlas, reaching 30 cm in wingspan, and in our fauna - Saturnia pyri, whose wingspan reaches 18 cm, its caterpillar has a length of 10-13 cm. This family includes the Chinese oak silkworm (Antherea pernyi). The silk from the cocoons of the Chinese oak moth is of high quality and has long been used to make durable chesuchi silk fabric. It is used to make parachute silk and for technical purposes. Chinese oak silkworm breeding is widely practiced in middle lane Russia, and it is also possible in more northern regions. Caterpillars can be fed with oak and birch leaves.

Other moths, also commonly called "silkworms", are important because many species in these families are serious pests of tree species.

The cocoon moth family includes rather large butterflies that, unlike representatives of the previous family, do not have eyes on their wings. Among the particularly harmful cocoon moths, the pine cocoon moth (Dendrolimus pini) should be mentioned. Large caterpillars of this butterfly (up to 10 cm in length) often appear in large numbers. They eat pine needles, which often leads to the death of trees. In Siberia, a closely related species, the Siberian cocoon moth (Dendrolimus sibiricus), causes especially great damage to pine trees. Among other cocoon moths, the ringed silkworm (Malacosoma neustria) greatly damages orchards. It is called ringed because it lays eggs in the form of a ring of several rows of eggs encircling the branches of fruit trees.

The hawkmoth family stands apart (some scientists classify it as an independent superfamily). Usually at dusk, near flowers, you can see large butterflies, attracting attention with their unusual fast flight for butterflies and the ability to seem to hang in place, quickly working their wings. Hawkmoths are massive butterflies with a thick abdomen, pointed at the rear end. The antennae are fusiform. The front wings are triangular and long, the hind wings are much smaller. The proboscis is long, in many hawk moths it exceeds the length of the body.

Hawkmoth caterpillars are also large, not covered with hairs, and are often green in color. At the end of the abdomen on the dorsal side there is usually a horny outgrowth. Pupation occurs in the ground, in burrows lined with cobwebs. In the middle zone, the pine hawk moth (Sphinx pinastri) is common, whose caterpillars eat pine needles.

The moth family is a very large group of Lepidoptera (12,000 species) of relatively small butterflies whose caterpillars are common on a wide variety of plants. They often cause significant damage to fruit trees, for example the winter moth, birch moth, etc., and to pine forests - the pine moth. Moth butterflies have rather large wings, somewhat reminiscent of the wings of daytime butterflies.

Moth caterpillars differ from the caterpillars of other butterflies in having a smaller number of abdominal legs and a smaller method of movement. Usually they have only two pairs of abdominal false legs, located on the posterior segments of the abdomen. These legs are very tenacious and equipped with strong muscles. The caterpillar moves like this: clinging to its thoracic legs, it bends its back and pulls the rear end of its body towards the front, so that its body forms a loop, then the caterpillar clings to its rear (abdominal) legs and, releasing the front ones, brings the front end of the body forward, etc. This the method of moving with a span was the reason for the name - moths or land surveyors. Moth caterpillars, in color and behavior, represent an excellent example of protective devices in insects. In a calm state, the caterpillars cling to the branches of plants with their abdominal legs, then fold back their head end and in this position remain completely motionless for a long time. At the same time, the shape, posture and color of the caterpillars make them very similar to plant knots.

The large superfamily Lepidoptera includes several very important families. This includes the family of moths themselves, or noctuids. This is very big family(over 20,000 species) of small and inconspicuous, dark-colored (gray, brown) butterflies. Their caterpillars are very often very dangerous pests agricultural crops. They sometimes appear in huge quantities. An example is the winter armyworm (Agrotis segetum), whose caterpillars in the first generation (in spring) gnaw the bases of the stems of late spring crops, corn, millet, and sunflower, and in the second generation (in autumn) they destroy winter crops. The cabbage cutworm (Barathra brassicae) is also very harmful, damaging cabbage, turnips and other plants.

No less important are butterflies from the family Volyanok. The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), which belongs to this family, causes great damage to deciduous forests, appearing in huge numbers in favorable years. An even more terrible pest of deciduous trees, and sometimes coniferous forests is the nun silkworm (L. monacha), more common in Western Europe, but in our country it is found in the central and western regions. From this same group of butterflies, the willow moth (Stilpnotia salicis) is very common even in our cities and often appears in large numbers.

Gallery

Most people associate butterflies with summer and flowers. There is no person in the world who has never seen this miracle of nature. And many are interested in the question: “What types of butterflies are there and how many families do these beautiful creatures consist of?”

This article will answer all questions.

All about butterflies

Butterfly- This is an insect of the arthropod type, the order Lepidoptera.

The ancient Slavs believed that butterflies were inhabited by the souls of the dead, so they treated these insects with respect. special respect.

Appearance and structure

The butterfly consists of two sections:

• Body covered with a chitinous layer.
• Two pairs of wings, which are covered with scales and penetrated with veins in the transverse and longitudinal direction. The pattern on the wings depends on the species. The wingspan, depending on the species, can be from 3 mm to 310 mm.

Body structure:

The appearance of a butterfly can serve to protection insects from enemies. Indeed, thanks to their coloring, some butterflies blend into their environment and become invisible.

Types of butterflies with brief characteristics

Butterflies number more than 200 families, only a small part of the most popular ones are listed below:

Belyanki:

Cocoonworm family

Butterflies belonging to this family are large or medium in size. The body is powerful, covered with villi. This family is more reminiscent of moths than butterflies. The front wings are larger in size compared to the hind wings. The antennae look like brushes. They live in groups on woody plants. Some species are very harmful to forestry.

Blueberry family

Has more than 5 thousand species, some of which are listed in Red Book. All species of this family are small in size and brightly colored. Males are brighter in color than females. The color depends on the species and can be bright blue or brown. For example, the Blueberry Icarus has a bright blue color.

A distinctive feature of all bluebirds are the spots located on the lower wings. Blueberries do not harm, and sometimes even bring benefits by scaring away pests.

Parsley family

This family contains more than 1200 species. Most species can be found in tropical countries, but a small part also lives in Russia. Pieds have interesting coloring. On a shiny black or dark blue background there are spots of bright red or bright yellow. But there are also species with a monochromatic color.

The appearance of an insect warns that it poisonous and when threatened, releases a toxic liquid with a pungent odor. In its size, the butterfly can reach up to 50 mm in length. Mainly diurnal, but occasionally found at night. It feeds on legume leaves.

Volnyanka

These butterflies greatly harm forestry. There are more than 2700 species. The butterfly is of medium size. One of the most famous species is gypsy moth. This insect received this name due to the significant differences in the sizes of the male and female.

For example, males have a wingspan of 45 mm, while females have a wingspan of 7.5 cm. Males are also much darker than females. In male representatives, the wings are dark brown with black transverse waves. The female is gray-white with dark waves.

Butterflies have a velvety texture and black color with a spread of 50–60 mm. There are white spots at the corners of the front wings, which are separated by a red stripe. The same stripe is located on the edge of the lower wings.

A beautiful European insect that leads a diurnal lifestyle. The wingspan is 150 mm. The entire color is red-brown with a bizarre pattern similar to a peacock's eye. There is one spot in the corners of the upper wings.

And on each lower wing there is one black spot, in the middle of which there is another blue spot. These spots that resemble eyes scare away enemies butterflies.

Marigold

The color of this day butterfly quite modest. It has a brown or red color with a pattern of white and black rings. It feeds on grasses from wild plants and loves shade.

Swallowtail belongs to the family sailboats and is listed in the Red Book. The color comes in different colors, but the most beautiful is the swallowtail, which has a yellow color. A wide black stripe with moon-shaped spots along the edges is visible on the wings. The hind wings have an elongated tail of blue color with yellow-blue spots. There is a red spot in the corner of the lower ones.

There are many more species that one could talk about endlessly and write several volumes of books. This article shows only a small part of them.