Red butterfly title. Where do butterflies live: photo, description, life cycle and nutrition

Cutworms are unusual moths. How many varieties of cutworms exist in nature and what do they look like? Our photos and descriptions of the insect will tell you about this.

Cutworms or moths are a large family of lepidopteran insects. There are more than 35 thousand species of cutworms. There are about 1,800 species in Europe, and more than 1,500 species in Russia. Cutworms are found in various parts of the world. Any climate is suitable for their life. Cutworms thrive in deserts, mountains and tundra conditions.

Description of scoop

There are large types of cutworms and very small ones. In large species, the wingspan can reach 130 millimeters, but there are also small species that have a wingspan of no more than 10 millimeters.

Morphological characteristics of cutworm

The head of the moth is round, the forehead is characteristically convex; some individuals, on the contrary, have depressions on the forehead.

In females, the antennae have a simple structure, they are thread-like or comb-like, sometimes they can be framed by fluffy cilia. The structure of the antennae of males is more complex.

Noctuids living in the mountains have elliptical or kidney-shaped eyes. Some species have simple eyes. The proboscis is well developed; in a calm state it is curled. In some species the proboscis is reduced. The surface of the proboscis is covered with “taste cones”.

There are “bloodthirsty” exceptions among cutworms - individuals live in the tropics that feed on the lacrimal glands of mammals and their blood. Only males are bloodthirsty; they have a reinforced proboscis. Females have an undeveloped proboscis, so their diet is more “dietary”; they extract juice from fruits and plants.

Owls are nocturnal moths.

The palps of cutworms can be short or elongated. The head, chest and abdomen are often covered with scales and hairs. In addition, cutworms may have tufts of hairs.

Spurs are often located on the lower legs; other species have claws and spines. The shape of the wings is almost triangular, sometimes it can be elongated, and rarely rounded. Some species of moths have long and narrow wings; such wings allow butterflies to fly long distances. In mountain species, the wings are short, and sometimes they can be completely reduced.

The noctuid's body is full and covered with thick hairs. The wings have a pattern of spots; the spots are round, wedge-shaped and kidney-shaped. Some species have silvery and golden spots on their wings. The hind wings can be yellowish, blue, red and white. Noctuid moths, which live in climates with colorful nature, often have distinctive patterns on their wings and bodies.

Development of the scoop

There is a wide variety of cutworms, so life cycle different types varies greatly.

Caterpillars have up to 6 instars, during which up to 5 molts occur. Northern and mountain varieties generally have a two-year life cycle. Pupation of caterpillars occurs in earthen litter, soil or plant tissue. Mostly pupae overwinter, but middle-aged or older caterpillars can also overwinter. IN warm areas Noctuid moths develop continuously, with several generations being formed per year. In winter, they go into a “cold stupor.”

The eggs are hemispherical in shape. The surface of the eggs is cellular or ribbed. Female cutworms lay eggs on the ground. The fertility of females can reach about 2 thousand eggs.

The caterpillar has a naked body, but it may have primary setae and, in some cases, secondary setae. The body color of the caterpillars is green, yellow or brown. There are longitudinal stripes on the body. Sometimes false legs may be located on the abdominal segment. Noctuid caterpillars are active at night, and during the day they lead a hidden lifestyle. In some species, caterpillars are predators; they additionally feed on scale insects and scale insects.

Harm from scoop

Cutworm caterpillars are divided into intrastem, gnawing and leaf-gnawing. Caterpillars mainly feed on plant sap; some species eat plant litter, mosses and lichens. In addition, caterpillars damage fruits, flowers, and sometimes eat grains in storage. Cutworms are agricultural pests.

exclamation scoop

These pests spoil potatoes, onions, carrots, peas, corn, beets, lettuce, turnips, sunflowers and strawberries. They destroy tubers and roots, after which the plants die.

Cutworm larvae spend most of their time in the ground, but may feed on leaves above. The wing span of an adult moth is 30-40 millimeters. Color varies from dark brown to light gray.

Alfalfa cutworm

These cutworms are pests of agricultural crops. Alfalfa cutworms live throughout the Russian Federation. They damage soybean, flax, corn and alfalfa plantings.

The wingspan of these butterflies reaches 38 millimeters. The wings are gray-green in color.

Alfalfa cutworm pupae spend the winter in the soil. The flight of adult butterflies takes place in May-June. In cutworms living in forest-steppe zones, develops 2 generations.

Stem cutworm

These cutworms damage cereal crops. Stem cutworms live in the steppe zone of Siberia. These pests cause damage to rye, wheat, corn and oats.

Noctuid moths of this species reach a length of 38 millimeters. The wings are yellowish-white, with a light stripe running down the center. The pupae are black and brown in color and are 15 millimeters long.

Cutworm caterpillars gnaw at the base of stems, settle inside the stem and suck out plant juices. Because of such pestilence, the plants dry out and the ears do not ripen.

The flight of stem cutworms takes place in June-July. Females lay medium-sized eggs, in an oviposition their number reaches 130 pieces. One generation of stem cutworm develops in one season.

Spring armyworm

This type of cutworm damages cereal crops. Spring cutworms live in the steppes and forests of Russia. Pests destroy plantings of barley, oats, wheat and corn. These butterflies reach 34 millimeters in length.

The wings are rusty brown and may have a patch of orange or white. Females lay about 500 eggs. The spring armyworm has one generation per year.

Pea cutworm

The butterfly measures no more than 42 millimeters. The front wings are black-brown in color. There are transverse lines on the wings. The caterpillars are yellow in color, the body size of the caterpillars reaches 4 millimeters.

Flight of pea cutworms takes place in June-September. These butterflies feed on succulent plants. One female lays up to 400 eggs. Caterpillars eat leaves. 2 generations develop per year.

Sage cutworm

These butterflies are pests of essential oil crops. Sage cutworms are found wherever there is sage, lavender, mint, and other similar crops.

The wingspan of the butterfly reaches 40 millimeters. The front wings are yellow-gray, the hind wings are lighter.

The flight of these butterflies takes place in April-July. The fertility of females is up to 600 eggs. Caterpillars damage leaves, ovaries, buds and pedicels. They begin to damage plants from top to bottom. 3 generations develop in a year.

Blue-headed armyworm

Blueheads cause damage to fruit crops. They live throughout Russia. Damage is caused to pears, apple trees, cherries, sweet cherries, apricots, rowan, poplar, almond, oak, thorn, hawthorn and hazel.

The size of the butterfly reaches 50 millimeters. The wings of these cutworms have a purple tint and are dotted with spots and lines. brown. The caterpillar dimensions reach 34 millimeters. The pupa reaches 17 millimeters in length. This cutworm species has one generation per year.

Yellow-brown early armyworm

This type of cutworm is especially harmful to fruit crops. Early cutworms live almost throughout the entire territory of Russia. Pests damage raspberries, apple trees, cherries, pears, plums, peach and various forest species.

Butterflies reach 35 millimeters in length. The color of the front wings is yellowish with a white stripe, the hind wings have a fringe. The body length of the caterpillars reaches 40 millimeters, and the pupa – 15 millimeters.

Females of early cutworms lay up to 900 eggs. The caterpillars of these cutworms destroy ovaries and leaves.

Scoop gamma

These pests are polyphagous. They are widespread in Russia everywhere. Gamma armyworms damage field crops such as beets, potatoes, flax, hemp, legumes and the like.

Butterflies measure up to 48 millimeters. The front wings can be purple to gray in color and have a “gamma” shaped spot on them, hence the name. These cutworms fly during the day and feed on flower nectar. One female brings 500-1500 eggs. Over the course of a year, 2 generations of gamma scoops can develop.

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 in with 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 fenders are different large size compared to the rear ones. 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 is 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 known 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 the presence of 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 diurnal butterfly is quite modest. Has 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. Coloring happens different colors, but the most beautiful is the swallowtail, whose color is yellow. A wide band is visible on the wings black stripe with moon-shaped spots along the edges. The hind wings have an elongated blue tail 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 the smallest part of them.

It is impossible to say unequivocally which butterfly is the most beautiful. There are many types, and they are all beautiful in their own way. There are especially many of them in the forests of the subtropics and tropics. There are worthy representatives in Russia.

List of the most beautiful butterflies

Prince of Darkness

The Prince of Darkness butterfly is amazing not only in size, but also in beauty. It has another name - Peacock-Eyes Atlas. It should be noted that there are practically no larger butterflies in the world.

There are many of its subspecies. The largest in size is the Emperor butterfly. It is known that caterpillars of this species eat tree leaves throughout their lives, and having turned into a butterfly, they continue to exist solely due to the accumulated nutrients. The lifespan of the Prince of Darkness is only ten days. The coloring of the wings of the Peacock-Eyes is amazing and unusual. Moreover, not only the color, but also the shape of the wing itself is similar to a snake’s head. This serves as camouflage for the butterfly from insect-eating animals.

Queen Alexandra's sailboat

This butterfly is rightfully considered a valuable specimen of any butterfly collection. They live only near the village of Popondetta on the island New Guinea. The male is smaller than the female, but much more beautiful and brighter. The female's wingspan can reach twenty-eight centimeters.

The wings of the male are painted in the finest shades of blue and green flowers. Outwardly, they resemble the leaves of a tropical exotic plant. Their span usually does not exceed twenty centimeters.

Madagascar comet

Another record holder for wingspan is the Madagascar comet. It is also called Saturnia madagascaris, but most often – Moon moth.

The wingspan of this beauty is eighteen centimeters. If you measure the butterfly in length, it will become clear why it was recognized as the longest in the world. Its wings are decorated with twenty-centimeter tails, which often fall off after the first flights. The wings are bright yellow, and each of them has a large brown “eye”.

This species lives only two to three days and leads night look life. It's amazing that digestive tract and they do not have an oral apparatus.

Sailboat Maak

In Russia, the Maak's swallowtail is the largest representative of daytime butterflies. Their wingspan is about thirteen and a half centimeters. The butterfly is also called the Blue Swallowtail or the Maak's Tailbearer.

In the male, most of the front black wing is shimmering with a dotted coating green. The part of the wing without coating shines black. Females have so many color options that it is almost impossible to find identical butterflies.

The habitat of the Tail Bearers is Primorye, Kuril Islands, Manchuria, North Korea. During the flowering of subalpine plants, these butterflies rise to a height of about two thousand meters in search of food.

Butterfly Agrippina

An amazing butterfly, whose name is Agrippina, lives in humid tropical forests Brazil. Her full name is Tizania Agrippina. I must say that this is the largest butterfly on the planet. Its body length reaches nine centimeters, and its wingspan is at least thirty centimeters.

During the flight, Agrippina can easily be mistaken for a bird. The fact is that its wings on the back side with their color create the illusion of wings. Agrippina is a nocturnal butterfly, rarely does anyone manage to see it... Read more about the most big butterflies Can .

Glory to Bhutan

The butterfly Glory of Bhutan received its name not by chance. She has an amazing wing shape and a rare subtle beauty. The wings are elongated and their span sometimes reaches ten centimeters. The hind wings end in three tails and are colored with spots reminiscent of juicy bunches of berries.

The Glory of Bhutan is a butterfly that lives in mountain forests at an altitude of up to two thousand six hundred meters above sea level. Their flight is very slow, but butterflies change direction very quickly. Their bright coloring is a warning to predators and indicates that they are inedible.

The most beautiful butterfly in the world

Like any creature of nature, the butterfly is worthy of attention. But no one can definitely answer which one is the most beautiful. Here everyone decides for themselves individually.

In first place in terms of beauty, one could put a species of butterfly such as the Tail Bearer or Peacock's Eye. Their wing coloring is simply extraordinary. Queen Alexandra's sailboat will delight anyone with its wingspan reaching up to twenty-eight centimeters.

Among Russian species You can highlight the graceful Swallowtail and the unique Sericin montela butterfly. A person watches their flight with bated breath.

IN East Asia lives the amazingly beautiful Atlas Peacock-Eyes. The oleander hawk moth also surprises with its unusual pollen tints.

All this is just a small part of the most beautiful butterflies. However, there is an opinion of venerable scientists on this matter. The Madagascan butterfly Urania was recognized as the most beautiful in the world. This conclusion was made by an international congress of scientists. From the name it is clear that it lives in Madagascar. Its coloring is unusually picturesque and bright. The black wings of this butterfly are covered with multi-colored scales, thus creating a pattern of various shades.

Urania can often be seen on the covers of books about animals. Collectors highly value representatives of this species for their beauty. It is known that due to their unusual colors, wings were used in the eighteenth century for the production jewelry. Urania leads a diurnal lifestyle. The wingspan is small, it barely exceeds a centimeter.
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This year, in the very heat, in the midst of summer, an incredible number of butterflies that are usually not very common, and even some time ago were in the Red Book, appeared. Velvety dark to black, with a bright orange-red stripe on the wing and white spots, they circle with the same large peacock's eye above the meadow flowers. It was thanks to this red stripe, reminiscent of stripes, that the butterfly was named admiral(lat. Vanessa atalanta). They flutter over meadow flowers, sit down to drink nectar, but are happy to taste bursting fruit or flowing juice on tree wounds. When a butterfly sits on a flower with its wings spread, it stands out as a bright spot on the green carpet of grass. But as soon as she folds her wings while sitting on a tree, thanks to the gray pattern she completely merges with the bark. The Latin species epithet of the butterfly Atalanta is taken from Greek mythology, where Atalanta, the heroine of the hunt for the Calydonian boar, ran faster than all people on Earth. And indeed, butterfly admiral in many parts of its range it makes huge, many-thousand-kilometer flights, for example, from Europe to North Africa.

Admiral(lat. Vanessa atalanta) - day butterfly from the nymphalidae family. The wingspan reaches 5 - 6.5 cm. The color of the wings is dark brown, sometimes almost black, with bright red stripes and white spots at the top of the fore wings. A widespread, numerous species whose range covers extratropical Eurasia, North Africa, and islands Atlantic Ocean, North America, Guatemala, Haiti and New Zealand. The caterpillars feed mainly on nettles and thistles. The species is an active migrant.

Specific epithet Atalanta ( greek mythology) goes back to Atalanta, the heroine of the hunt for the Calydonian boar, who ran faster than all people on Earth. Daughter of King Jasius (Ias) of Arcadia and Clymene. Her father, wanting to have only sons, threw the girl out on Mount Parthenius, and she was nursed by a bear until Atalanta was picked up by hunters in the forest. There are several versions regarding the origin of the generic name Vanessa. According to one of them, it came from the same name female name. According to another version, the name is consonant with the ancient Greek version of the word “Phanessa”, which means demiurge deity. This version, is most likely rather unlikely. In fact, the deity's name in the original sounds like "Phanes" (Russian version of Fanet). The name of the genus was given by the Danish entomologist Johann Christian Fabricius, who primarily used the names of ancient deities when naming new taxa. English name insect Red Admiral (red admiral) accurately characterizes the unique coloring of the butterfly.

The length of the front wing is 26 - 34.5 mm. The wingspan reaches 50 - 65 mm. The body is dark brown or black. The upper side of the wings is blackish or dark brown. At the apex of the fore wing there is a small tooth along the outer edge. The forewings are crossed by a bright orange-red band, above which there is a large elongated white spot and a chain of five to six spots of various sizes, all bright white in color. In the anal corner of the hind wing there is an elongated blue spot with a black rim. On the outer edge of the hind wings there is a wide orange-red marginal band, on which there are 4-5 black spots. In the posterior corner of the hind wing there is a double blue spot surrounded by a dark rim in the anal corner of the wing.

The underside of the wings is less bright, but more variegated. It is brownish-brown, with various reddish and white spots and gray streaks. On the bottom of the front wings the pattern of the upper side is repeated, which is complemented by blue rings in the central cell. The undersides of the hind wings are brownish, with an intricate marble-like pattern formed by dark strokes and sinuous lines. Also leading edge There is a light spot on the hind wing.

Antennae with a sharply expanded club. The eyes are covered with numerous small bristles. The outer edge of both wings is wavy, with one more prominent projection on the M1 vein on the forewings. The discal vein is present on both wings. The central cell on the hind wings is closed. The outer edge of the hind wings has no noticeable projections. The tibiae and tarsi of the forelegs are covered with relatively long, dense hairs.

This butterfly is not only beautiful, she is a great lover of travel. Representatives of this type of insect make huge flights from Europe to North Africa in order to lay eggs here and die in the name of the birth of new offspring. In the spring, young butterflies set off on their return journey, despite the fact that many of them are destined to die along the way. However, butterflies living in the southern part of Europe are in no hurry to leave their native places, but wait out the winter in tree crevices or under the bark. The spring sun forces the butterfly to leave its shelter and begin to prepare for a romantic meeting in order to have offspring in time.

How long does the admiral butterfly live? IN favorable conditions She is a long-liver - the insect lives 9-10 months. For part of the allotted period, it remains in hibernation; it is the presence of diapause that explains its long existence. The fertilized female overwinters in order to immediately lay eggs the next year after waking up. In the North and Center of Europe, admirals do not remain in cold period. They go on a seasonal migration south. It is less noticeable than in summer, when a large number of adults settle in gardens and parks rich in food.

Migrants that appear in the summer produce offspring on local plants. Young butterflies fly in July-August. They are not shy; if handled carefully, they can land on clothing or a hand. It is easy to distinguish between visiting and local admirals by the condition of their wings - travelers’ wings are tattered and faded. During the wintering period, moths look for a reliable shelter where they can hide not only from the cold, but also from enemies. Females hide under the bark of trees, fallen leaves, and hide in crevices. While sleeping, they run the risk of being eaten by birds or rodents.

General climate warming and mild winters have led to changes in the behavior of the admiral butterfly. Not all individuals go to wait out the cold season in hot Africa. Part remains in temperate latitudes. This decision is completely justified, because many insects die while covering distances of thousands of kilometers.

The adult admiral butterfly feeds on nectar, tree juices, fruits and berries. Like all its relatives, this butterfly goes through several stages of its development. Therefore, the nutrition of a caterpillar hatched from an egg differs significantly from that of a fully formed individual. The caterpillar wraps a hop or nettle leaf around its body, protecting itself and at the same time using these leaves as food. The satiated caterpillar gradually turns into a pupa, from which after a certain period a beautiful adult butterfly flies out.

Food plants for admiral caterpillars include: Carduus sp. - plants from the genus Thistle, Humulus lupulus - Common hop, Urtica dioica - Stinging nettle, Urtica urens - Stinging nettle.

The female butterfly lays one egg on food plants. Mating season in insects occurs in the spring. From May to August, the caterpillar develops, the color is noticeable, there are yellow stripes on the sides, various inclusions and spines. They curl into a tube on the leaves of nettle and thistle, turning into a pupa. The caterpillar makes a protective canopy of leaves, which it then feeds on. The butterfly emerges from the pupae towards the end of summer. Two generations of butterflies are usually hatched per year.

Admirals are characterized by courtship and mating games. During the breeding season, males exhibit territorial behavior. They occupy good areas where food plants grow and drive away competitors. Each has a territory of 10 by 20 m. Moths patrol their own area, flying around the perimeter. Admirals often circle the hills to spot and intercept a passing female from afar. The male flies for a long time after his partner, seeking her favor. Mating takes place over several hours. During this period, insects do not respond to external factors and are in a vulnerable position. Territorial males, aggressively driving away rivals of their species and other butterflies from their area, demonstrate peaceful behavior while feeding on flowers or fruits.

The species is subject to dynamic fluctuations in numbers and in some years is observed in very large quantities. He is an active migrant. Populations in the forest belt of Eurasia are partially, and in the north of the range entirely, replenished by migratory individuals from the south. The species is included in the Red Book of the Smolensk region; it was previously included in the Red Book of Russia (1997) (category 4). On at the moment The species is excluded from the Red Book of Russia.

Butterflies are one of the most amazing and beautiful creatures on the planet.
Many people can say with confidence that they are the most beautiful insects, despite the fact that beauty is a very subjective concept, and it is different for everyone.
However, you are unlikely to find anyone who does not like these little fluttering beauties. And so that in once again To make sure of the elegance of these heavenly messengers, we have compiled the top 10 most beautiful butterflies in the whole world. Enjoy!

Translated into Russian, the name of the butterfly sounds like “dead head”. It would seem that such a gloomy name could not allow its bearer to get into the top 10 most beautiful insects. However, just look at this little winged beauty when all doubts disappear. Acherontia atropos is distinguished by its unusual color, due to which this nocturnal butterfly got its name. The upper part of her body is strikingly different from the lower, moreover, in it one can discern the contours of a human skull, which in itself is already unusual.

Parnassius (Parnassius bannyngtoni)

And this little one is the highest mountain butterfly in the world. Her entire genus is Parnasius, living mainly in the Himalayas. You can meet it even more than six thousand meters above sea level!
The beauty's color matches its habitat - snow-white wings, with occasional coloration in the form of bright orange or red spots.

Cyproeta stelena (Malachite butterfly)

This emerald beauty is named after the well-known stone - malachite. You can meet the butterfly in South and Central America, much less often in North America. Siproeta Stelena has an unusual coloring, which is strikingly different from other insects of its species. The reason for this was that, unlike other butterflies, the “malachite” butterfly feeds not only on nectar, its diet is much more varied. The size of the tropical guest is usually from eight to ten centimeters. The wings of the syproeta are velvety black, often emphasized by bright green spots that form a bizarre and beautiful pattern.

Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

This unusually beautiful creation of nature got its name thanks to the red stripes on its wings, reminiscent of the stripes on the trousers of the Tsar's admirals. Russian fleet. The forewings at the apex have the shape of teeth. They are painted velvety black or dark brown, edged with a bright scarlet edge, just above which there is a scattering of small white spots. The hind wings are brownish and marble-shaped, allowing them to be successfully camouflaged while resting and feeding on flowers.
Is a traveler butterfly. So, migration to Africa from any corner of Russia is a completely feasible task for such a fragile insect. It’s interesting that all Admirals’ flights are made not in a flock, but alone.
These lovely creatures hibernate under the bark of trees. But only sun rays They begin to warm up, the admiral butterfly leaves its roost and hurries to bring its rich color to the monotonous grayness of early spring.

Morpho peleides

This beauty lives in Colombia, Central America and Mexico. “Morpho” means “beautiful” in Greek. But these butterflies are simply magnificent, because they have absorbed all the blue of the sky. They soar high above the ground, and some do not fall below six meters. The wings are covered with tiny scales that refract light and reflect blue and blue colors, that’s why Morpha’s wings seem shiny and so beautiful to us. With their beauty, Morpho attracts the opposite sex and scares away predators, because not every bird will decide to attack “flashing food.” This color serves as a unique way of protection for its owners. They live around four months. They love rotting bananas and the juice of overripe fruits. And after tasting the fermented juice, they can get drunk, and during takeoff they are thrown from side to side, so they tend to the shade or damp ground.

Madagascar comet (Argema mittrei)

Only in tropical rainforests can this representative of the peacock-eye family be seen. It is also called the Moon Moth. The features of this butterfly include a small and retracted head, a thick, fluffy body and unusual antennae on the male. This resident of Madagascar has very bright colors; there are spots on the wings that resemble eyes. The wings are very large (span up to 18 cm) and decorated with unusual long spurs. This butterfly does not eat, since it does not have a mouth or a digestive system; it only has enough nutrients that it accumulated while it was a caterpillar. Unfortunately, they only live for 2-3 days.

Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

This amazingly beautiful insect can be seen in different corners of our planet, although there is an opinion that such a bright and unusual color can only be found among the inhabitants exotic countries. The diversity of habitats provides the opportunity for the emergence of new subspecies. Today there are about forty subspecies of swallowtail. The name was given to it in honor of the ancient doctor who skillfully healed the wounds of warriors. The length of the swallowtail body is up to 10 cm. The wings have a very beautiful coloring. The background of the wings is usually bright yellow, but the variety of stripes, spots and lines is simply incredible! Patterns can be red, blue, black, white. These are very energetic creatures; they do not stay in one place. They prefer umbrella plants. Only flower nectar is eaten. If you see a couple spinning in the air, you know that these are mating games. During a season, a female swallowtail can lay up to 120 eggs. The swallowtail lives about three weeks.

Greta Oto

The glass butterfly is an amazing and unique insect. Looking at them you admire their fragility, airiness, weightlessness. Some people may not see the beauty, but there is no doubt that it is very unusual. Nature has endowed it with wings that are transparent through and through, and the edging of the wings has a color, often red and black. And there are streaks on the wings, which further adorns Greta Oto. She lives in South America, in wet forests. This is a very numerous species. After all, they do not attract predators, because a lot of toxins accumulate in this small organism, even at the caterpillar stage they feed only poisonous plants. Growing up, Greta begins to prefer only plant nectar. These transparent beauties are very hardy; during the migration period they can cover about twelve kilometers in a day.

Maack's swallowtail (Papilio maackii)

This is the largest and most spectacular butterfly in our country. Males have a very beautiful coloring, wings with a dark green tint with black margins; females can be brown or black with bright red spots along the edges. Looking at such a stunning color, it’s hard to believe that this is not an inhabitant of tropical countries, and it can even be found in areas northern latitude. It can be found in mixed and deciduous forests. Feeds on nectar. Sometimes on wet sections of the road or along rivers you can see a stunning spectacle of several dozen (and sometimes hundreds) of males. And if they are disturbed, they fly up into a dark cloud, and from it, shimmering under the sun, a rainbow rain of drops of water, shaken off by these fabulous creatures, will fall.

Peacock-eye Atlas (Attacus atlas)

Refers to the most large butterflies on Earth. The wingspan reaches up to 260 mm. Quite a huge size for such a sophisticated creature! Atlas loves the night, which is why her other name is Prince of Darkness. The corners of the wings of this amazing butterfly curved, resembling a snake's head, and colored in shades of brownish, reddish, yellowish and pinkish. The edges of the wings are framed with a black border and beige stripes. On each of the wings there is a spot similar to the pattern on the feathers of a peacock, hence the name.
Another curious fact about the short life (1-2 weeks) of the Peacock Eye is that it does not eat anything, existing only on the reserves that it accumulated while it was a caterpillar. Atlas is also a butterfly with a very phenomenal sense of smell. Males can find their females by smelling pheromones from 12 km away.

Butterflies have not yet been fully studied. And it is quite possible that you will meet a species unknown to anyone. These flying flowers cannot be compared with any other insect on the planet in their beauty. Fragile and beautiful, they personify the boundless imagination of nature. It’s a pity that they don’t live very long – from two days to several months. Let's take care and enjoy the beauty of these beautiful creatures!