Butterflies and moths are insects that scientists call Lepidoptera, meaning, “scale winged” in Greek. They get this name from the tiny scales covering their wings and body. Like all insects, Lepidoptera have a hard outer covering called an exoskeleton, which is divided into sections and has joints so the animal can move. Also like other insects, moths and butterflies have six legs, a head, a thorax, and an abdomen.

Butterflies and moths are second only to beetles as the largest group of animals in the world. Even with the 165,000 species of butterflies and moths that have been described, there are still an estimated 100,000 species that have not. There are 125 Lepidoptera families and about 12 times as many moths as butterflies − approximately 240,000 moths and 20,000 butterflies.

Most larvae are phytophagous; some eat other insects, a few are ectoparastoids. Most are terrestrial.

Lepidoptera (lepidoptera larvae) is prey of:
Hymenoptera
Aves
Anura
Lepidosauria
Hylocichla mustelina
Geothlypis trichas
Picoides pubescens
Myiarchus
Vireo olivaceus
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Araneae
Nabis
Harpalus
Oreoscoptes montanus
Turdus migratorius
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Tyrannidae
Icteridae
Icterus
Mimus polyglottos
Cardinalis cardinalis
Apodidae
Mephitinae
Geococcyx velox
Saurothera vieilloti
Otus nudipes
Herpestes auropunctatus
Eleutherodactylus coqui
Eleutherodactylus richmondi
Eleutherodactylus portoricensis
Eleutherodactylus wightmanae
Eleutherodactylus eneidae
Melanerpes portoricensis
Todus mexicanus
Mimocichla plumbea
Margarops fuscatus
Anolis cuvieri
Anolis evermanni
Anolis stratulus
Anolis gundlachi
Alsophis portoricensis
Leptodactylus albilabris
Myiarchus antillarum
Vireo latimeri
Nesospingus speculiferus
Icterus dominicensis
Vireo altiloquus
Seiurus aurocapillus
Sphaerodactylus klauberi
Diploglossus pleei
Mniotilta varia
Parula americana
Dendroica caerulescens
Dendroica discolor
Setophaga ruticilla
Coereba flaveola
Loxigilla portoricensis
Odonata
Gonatista grisea
Hemiptera
Diptera
Pteronotus parnelli
Tyrannus dominicensis
Elaenia
Dendroica petechia
Tiaris
Anolis gingivinus
Anolis pogus

Based on studies in:
New Zealand (Grassland)
Russia (Agricultural)
USA: Illinois (Forest)
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)
USA: New Jersey (Agricultural)
USA: Arizona, Sonora Desert (Desert or dune)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Lepidoptera (lepidoptera larvae) preys on:
leaves
flowers
roots
angiosperms
AmbRaphanus
Schismus barbatus
seeds of other plants
nectar
Plantae
live leaves
fruit
seeds
sap
nectar and floral

Based on studies in:
New Zealand (Grassland)
USA: Illinois (Forest)
USA: Arizona, Sonora Desert (Desert or dune)
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)
Russia (Agricultural)
Tibet (Montane)
USA: New Jersey (Agricultural)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Animal / parasite
Akanthomyces anamorph of Akanthomyces aculeatus parasitises Lepidoptera

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Ammophila pubescens stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Ancistrocerus gazella stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Ancistrocerus trifasciatus stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / pathogen
Bacillus thuringiensis infects caterpillar of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Bethylus cephalotes stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Blondelia nigripes is endoparasitoid of larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / dung saprobe
colony of Clonostachys anamorph of Clonostachys simmonsii is saprobic in/on dung or excretions of frass of caterpillar of Lepidoptera

Animal / pathogen
Conidiobolus thromboides infects live adult of Lepidoptera

Animal / parasitoid
solitary (usually) stroma of Cordyceps gracilis is parasitoid of buried larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / parasitoid
solitary (usually) stroma of Cordyceps militaris is parasitoid of buried (usually) larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / parasitoid
gregarious stroma of Cordyceps tuberculata is parasitoid of imago of Lepidoptera

Animal / pathogen
Entomophthora aulicae infects live adult of Lepidoptera

Animal / pathogen
Erynia radicans infects live larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator
Himacerus apterus is predator of caterpillar of Lepidoptera

Plant / pollenated
adult of Lepidoptera pollenates or fertilises flower of Anacamptis pyramidalis

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Microdynerus exilis stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator
Nabis ferus is predator of caterpillar of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Odynerus spinipes stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator
nymph of Orthotylus tenellus is predator of egg of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator
adult of Pentatoma rufipes is predator of caterpillar of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator
adult of Picromerus bidens is predator of caterpillar of Lepidoptera
Other: major host/prey

Animal / predator
leaf of Pinguicula vulgaris is predator of adult of Lepidoptera
Other: minor host/prey

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Podalonia affinis stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Podalonia hirsuta stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / parasite / endoparasite
larva of Pollenia endoparasitises Lepidoptera
Other: minor host/prey

Animal / parasite / endoparasite
larva of Sarcophaga albiceps endoparasitises Lepidoptera

Animal / parasite / endoparasite
larva of Sarcophaga jacobsoni endoparasitises Lepidoptera
Other: minor host/prey

Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Symmorphus bifasciatus stocks nest with larva of Lepidoptera

Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
solitary larva of Trichogramma brassicae is endoparasitoid of egg of Lepidoptera
Other: sole host/prey

Animal / predator
adult of Troilus luridus is predator of adult of Lepidoptera

Abrupt flight patterns help evade predators: moths
 

Moths detect bat calls and avoid predation using sudden drops and weaving flight patterns.

       
  "Many species of moth can hear bats coming by listening in to their ultrasonic echolocation calls. They can therefore escape before being caught. Once the bat is within approximately 20 feet (6m), moths take abrupt evasive action, either by folding up their wings and dropping down out of the bat's flight path, or by embarking on a random, weaving flight that the bat cannot follow." (Shuker 2001:23)

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Mating flights associated with thunderstorms: moths
 

Some moths in New Zealand detect positive ion accumulation in the atmosphere preceding thunderstorms.

       
  "In New Zealand, the nuptial flights of certain moths are so influenced by the positive ion accumulation in the atmosphere that precedes thunderstorms that they can be used as an accurate guide to future weather conditions." (Shuker 2001:65)

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Cocoon lining prevents ice crystals: moths
 

Oral secretions in the cocoons of many moths prevent formation of ice crystals because they form a fine, dry, web-like lining.

   
  "An oral secretion lining (a spider-like thread) is essential in the cocoons of many moths overwintering in cold conditions: it prevents moisture from intruding and prevents the formations of ice crystals, which would be lethal for the pupa…The cocoon may look rough and chunk-like but the interior surface is smoothly covered by web. This is most important for the cold-hardiness of the pupa. It overwinters in a supercooled state, and if a single ice crystal penetrates the skin, the animal freezes momentarily and dies. The fine and dry web prevents the formation of dangerous ice crystals." (Pallasmaa 1995:37, 95)
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Mouthpart functions change: butterfly
 

The mouthparts of a caterpillar and its butterfly serve drastically different functions with minimal energy loss because they arise from the same basic morphological pattern.

     
  "A caterpillar straddles the rim of a leaf and its jaws, like tiny secateurs, clip away neat semicircular holes and erode the leaf at a prodigious speed. A couple of months later, a butterfly pauses briefly on a flower and uncurls a long 'tongue' or proboscis with which it probes the heart of the bloom to suck up nectar. The butterfly was once the caterpillar, but since its metamorphosis it has adopted a completely different diet, and consequently its mouthparts have had to change shape dramatically. The mouthparts of both butterfly and caterpillar, however, are formed from the same basic pattern, a pattern shared by all insects. Just as birds' beaks are adapted to their eating habits, so too are insect mouthparts." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:159)
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Wing scales help camouflage from sonar: moth
 

The scales on moth wings help camouflage them from predatory bats because their uneven shape prevents the bats' sonar from detecting them clearly.

       
  "The moth's first defense again comes from those fuzzy scales it has all over its body. To us they just seem ungainly, a mistake. But because of their uneven shape, they give the bat only a fuzzy outline on its sonar scope." (Bodanis 1992:169)
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Chemical plug prevents mating: butterfly
 

The mating apparatus of male butterflies prevents other males from mating with a female by producing a chemical plug.

     
  "The mating apparatus of the male honeybee actually explodes and detaches, plugging the newly mated queen and preventing other males from mating with her. A number of insects, including butterflies, have chemical mating plugs which serve the same purpose and may even provide nutrients that the female absorbs and uses for egg production." (Forsyth 1992:32)
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Wing scales provide lift: butterflies
 

The wings of butterflies gain lift because their scales point away from the leading edge of the wing, helping air flow smoothly over the wing.

     
  "The scales all point away from the leading edge of the wing, to help the air flow smoothly over the wings when the insect is in flight. (It has been calculated that scales provide 15 per cent more 'lift' to the butterfly and also improve its gliding performance." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:99)
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Leaf tents hide caterpillars: Bornean moths
 

Bornean moths protect themselves from birds by creating leaf tents.

   
  "In the rain forests of Borneo, one small moth caterpillar constructs a most ingenious device that enables it to feed out of the sight of hungry birds. It starts work on the margin of a leaf and chews a cut inwards as though it were about to remove a semicircular segment. But when it reaches the farthest extent of the curve and seems about to arch back towards the margin, it stops and returns to the edge of the leaf. It walks along it and makes another cut as if to complete the semicircle from the other direction. But just before it joins the first cut, it stops. The segment is now attached only by a small hinge. The caterpillar next spins silken threads across the hinge between the segment and the rest of the leaf. As the silk dries, it contracts. This first hoists the segment into the air and then brings it down on top of the caterpillar. Now, working from beneath, the caterpillar makes a short slit at right angles to the cut edge of the segment. It converts the segment into a tiny dome. The whole process takes a couple of hours. As a result of all this ingenious labour, the caterpillar can nibble away at the leaf surface beneath, safe from the eyes and beaks of hungry birds." (Attenborough 1995:56-58)
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Scent trails lead to food: European moths
 

Caterpillars of the European moth find new food sources via scent trails exuded from other caterpillars.

     
  "A European moth that is a serious pest in orchards, lays its eggs in spirals glued together around the twigs of fruit trees. When they hatch, the young caterpillars, while sustaining themselves by eating the leaves immediately around them, spin a large silken shroud around the branch so big that it can accommodate them all. They spend the day within it, concealed from the sight of hungry predatory birds. But when night comes they set out in long columns to demolish more leaves.

"After they have eaten everything in their immediate neighbourhood, a single scout sets out to prospect for more. As it explores new parts of the tree, it lays down behind it a trail of scent that exudes from glands on its rear end. This enables it to find its way back to shelter before dawn. The next night, its companions inspect the trail. If it has a single track, as might happen if the caterpillar was taken in the night by some hunter, they will ignore it. But if there is a double track, indicating that the scout returned and if, furthermore, its smell indicates that the scout had a good meal, then the whole colony of several hundred will set off in procession to strip the leaves from yet another part of the fruit tree." (Attenborough 1995:58)
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Feet sensitive to sweetness: butterfly
 

The feet of butterflies taste sweetness using extremely sensitive taste hairs.

   
  "No matter where they are on an insect's body, taste sensors normally take the form of hairlike structures called taste hairs. Each one usually has five sensory nerve cells (neurons) at its base, four of which are concerned with taste. Of these, one always responds to sugar, a second to water, and the other two to various salts…Butterflies also have feet that can sense sweetness. When they have been starved, they can detect sugar diluted in water down to concentrations as low as 0.003 percent using their feet. This is a sensitivity 200 times greater than that of the human tongue." (Shuker 2001:33)
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Proboscis forms a flexible, sealed cylinder: butterfly
 

The two-part proboscis of a butterfly unfurls to form a flexible feeding tube via two half-cylinders that curl over and interlock.

       
  "The butterfly's proboscis, for example, is formed from the two soft 'lips' on the maxillae, which have become enormously elongated. When in use the two parts, semicircular in section, curl over and interlock to form a stiff but flexible cylindrical tube…" (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:163)
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Conserving energy: moths
 

Some male moths have no mouthparts in order to conserve energy because their exclusive concern is mating.

     
  "By complete contrast, some insects have no mouthparts at all. The short life of an adult male moth, for example, may be concerned exclusively with finding a mate and reproducing; and as feeding would be a waste of precious time it dispenses with mouthparts completely, and never feeds." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:160)
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Wings allow escape from spider webs: butterflies
 

The wings of butterflies and moths help them escape spider webs and other predators because they have scales that easily detach.

     
  "Because butterflies and moths are always at risk of flying into spiderwebs, their wings are covered with detachable scales. When these insects are caught in a web or held in the grasp of a predator, the scales pull away freely and thus enable the moth or butterfly to slip away." (Forsyth 1992:12)


Thomas Eisner writes about testing how spider webs hold prey by dropping various insects onto the webs. "Most did not have a chance. It was the moths that seemed most consistently able to escape. They fluttered vigorously the moment we put them into an orb, but as a rule they were detained only momentarily. Some bounced off the web without sticking at all. Others, which did not change direction upon impact, slid momentarily over the web's surface, only to flutter free when they reached the edge. They all left impact marks on the webs where scales became detached to the viscid strands. Moth scars we came to call such telltale sites, and soon learned that they were common." (Eisner 2003:218-220) [In the photographs of p. 219 of this book, he shows wing scales of a moth and empty sockets left after the scales detached.]
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Butterflies and moths are important pollinators. However, many species of butterflies and moths have been declining, partially due to loss of migratory and nectar corridors. Over 200 species of butterflies and moths undergo some type of migration, and the loss of appropriate habitat the distance of the migration routes has led to declining populations. Attempts to reverse this trend are being made by local jurisdictions, conservation organizations, and federal agencies.

Compared to bees, butterflies and moths are often less efficient at transferring pollen between plants because frequently pollen does not stick to their bodies and they lack specialized structures for collecting pollen. Butterflies and moths probe for nectar and prefer flat clustered flowers that they can use as a landing pad.