Butterfly Facts
A Few Butterfly Facts Worth Mentioning
There are a number of interesting butterfly facts worth mentioning, as this insect is perhaps mankind's favorite, and arguably is the most beautiful. If you visit a natural history museum, there's a good chance you'll come across a butterfly exhibit. Even if the species shown are confined to the local area or region, a surprising number of different species might be in evidence. In truth, the number of different butterfly species worldwide is quite large.
Most compilations of butterfly facts would note something on the order of 24,000 species of butterflies in the world. The butterfly exists on every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, and as some species are long distance travelers, they are also to be found on many islands far out in the oceans. There are approximately 700 different butterfly species in the United States.
Butterflies are curious insects. Besides being extremely colorful, they don't fly in straight lines, don't have mouths, and supposedly never sleep. If you ever see a four-legged butterfly, it’s still an insect. Some species have their two front legs tucked under their abdomen most of the time and appear to have only four legs. One unusual fact is, certain species have a life span of less than the time taken for their migration to and from one location to another.
Although it was mentioned that butterflies don't have mouths, they do have a long proboscis, through which they drink nectar, their primary food source. When not feeding, the proboscis is usually coiled up, like the spring in a watch. The taste buds, or sensors, of many species are on the feet. When alighting on a plant, the butterfly can tell if the plant would be a good food source for caterpillars, and hence a good location to lay their eggs. Caterpillar eggs by the way, are very small, being about the size of a period on this page at the largest, and microscopic at the smallest.
One of the more common, and perhaps the most studied of all butterfly species, is the Monarch butterfly. This species is noted primarily for its amazing migratory habits. In the United States, the Monarch travels in the fall, from the Great Lakes region of the eastern part of the country to Mexico, and returns in the spring. West of the Continental Divide, the Monarch's migration path is between the Pacific Northwest and Southern California.
One of the more intriguing butterfly facts pertains to this migration pattern. The time taken to migrate southward, overwinter, and return to the northern region of the country, is longer than the lifespan of the Monarch. It hasn't been determined exactly how this can happen, though it is suspected that a flight plan of sorts is genetically programmed into each insect.
A final pair of butterfly facts notes some interesting characteristics of the wings. The wings of a butterfly are transparent, but the scales covering the wings reflect light, giving rise to the patterns of color we observe. Though not recommended, it is indeed possible to hold a butterfly by the wings without lessening its ability to fly, unless of course ,you happen to injure the insect in the process.
Should the chance arise to visit an exhibit of live butterflies, where you can walk around amongst them, by all means take the opportunity to do so. You'll find it a very beautiful and uplifting experience. Or, just plant a variety of butterfly-friendly flowers in your garden.