butterflies

butterflies

Butterflies, insects or panapanás panapanãssão of the order Lepidoptera classified into superfamilies Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea which constitute the informal group "Rhopalocera". As other holometabolism insect, its life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larval, pupal and imago (adult). The oldest known fossils of butterflies are middle Eocene, between 40-50 million years ago.

Butterflies demonstrate polymorphism, mimicry and Aposematism. Some, like the Monarch Butterfly, migrate long distances. Some butterflies have developed symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Some species are pests because while larvae can damage crops or trees; however, some species are pollinators of some plants, and caterpillars of a few butterflies (eg those of Miletinae subfamily) eat harmful insects. Culturally, butterflies are a popular theme in the visual and literary arts.

Etymology

"Butterfly" comes from "belbellita", a term trodden in "beautiful". "Panapana" and "panapana" come from panapa'ná Tupi. In Portuguese, the word "panapana" is also a collective noun for butterfly.

Anatomy

The butterfly has two pairs of membranous wings covered with scales, which have varying shapes and colors, and the suction mouthpieces adapted. They have a special organ, espirotromba formed by the jaws, the sucking device lepidopteran insects, which at rest remains coiled, forming a spiral which extends when they want to suck the nectar.

Distinguished from moths (moths) by rectilinear antennas which terminate in a ball, by day lifestyle, the metamorphosis that takes place within a rigid chrysalis and the thin and elongated abdomen. When at rest, the butterflies fold their wings up.

The butterfly can have a minimum weight of 0.3 grams and the heaviest can weigh up to 3 grams; some types of butterflies can get to measure up to 32cm wing wing.

Life cycle

Caterpillar to butterfly larva.
The life cycle of butterflies includes the following steps:
1 - egg (pre-larval stage)
2 - larvae (also called caterpillar or caterpillar)
3 - pupa (which develops within the chrysalis, also called cocoon)
4 - Imago (adulthood)

During the caterpillar stage, they feed voraciously and create food reserves. When the larva is ready to turn chrysalis (intermediate state by passing the Lepidoptera to transform the caterpillar into a butterfly), dependuram on a sheet by a pair of false legs, upside down, so that the skin of his back open, the larva shakes and comes a chrysalis. Adult live these reserves and supplement their diet by absorbing the nectar of flowers and juices of fruits. The adult stage can last from two weeks to three months depending on the species.