User:AshLin/Introduction to Lepidoptera



Insects are divided into different groups known as orders. One of these is the order Lepidoptera, which is the collective name given to insects which have scales on their four wings—namely butterflies, moths. They also include skippers, which were earlier considered to be butterflies, but are now known only to be related to them. Insects belonging to this group are called as lepidopterans. These are amongst the most widespread and widely recognizable insects in the world.

About 180,000 species of Lepidoptera have been described. These are taxonomically arranged in 126 families and 46 superfamilies. In fact, the lepidopterans are so numerous in variety that roughly very tenth species of living creature in the world is a butterfly, moth or skipper.

Butterflies are lepidopterans which are day-flying, have brighter colours than moths and hold their wings vertically above their bodies when resting. Moths, on the other hand, keep their wings flat or horizontal when at rest, are mostly night-flying, and have duller colours than butterflies. Skippers resemble butterflies but have hooked antennae, stockier bodies, and a quick, darting flight. However, this traditional splitting of lepidopterans into butterflies and moths is scientifically inaccurate and based on past convention in the English-speaking world.

Butterflies and moths play an important role in the natural ecosystem. Many butterflies and moths pollinate flowers. Butterflies and moths are also important part of the diet for birds, lizards and other insects. The larvae of lepidopterans are usually referred to as caterpillars. Caterpillars feed on the leaves and shoots of plants. In many species, the female may produce from 200 to 600 eggs, while in others, a female may lay as many as 30,000 eggs in one day. The caterpillars hatching from these eggs can cause damage to large quantities of crops and fruit trees, and such caterpillars are considered as agricultural pests. The caterpillars of some moth species, including that of the domesticated silk moth, make silk coccoons, from which silk fibre is obtained.