desert bugs - Top That! Publishing
desert bugs - Top That! Publishing
desert bugs - Top That! Publishing
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FLUTTERBY BUTTERFLY<br />
Butterflies and moths are both part of the Lepidoptera group – ‘lepido’ meaning<br />
‘scale’ and ‘ptera’ meaning ‘wing’. This is the second-largest group of insects,<br />
with over 15,000 species of butterfly and 150,000 species of moth.<br />
What is the difference between butterflies and moths<br />
Butterflies and moths can be tricky to tell apart, but<br />
take a closer look and you’ll soon be able to spot the<br />
differences. Both have four wings, which are covered<br />
in tiny coloured scales that look like dust. Butterflies are<br />
usually brightly coloured, and show off their beautiful<br />
wings during the day. When they stop to rest, they<br />
close their wings, which have a duller pattern on the<br />
underside. Butterflies have slim, smooth bodies, with a<br />
bulge at the end of each antenna, known as feelers.<br />
Moths, on the other hand, are nocturnal (they fly<br />
at night), and their wings are often muted<br />
brown, grey, white or black in colour. This<br />
colouring keeps them camouflaged during<br />
FACT FILE<br />
Most adult butterflies drink<br />
nectar from flowers through their<br />
proboscis – a feeding tube that they<br />
can unroll and use like a straw to<br />
suck up this sweet-tasting liquid.<br />
19<br />
the day, when they rest with their wings open. Moths<br />
are usually fat and furry, and they have feathery, comblike<br />
antennae, which scientists believe helps them to<br />
smell and sense movement.<br />
A butterfly (left)<br />
and a moth.<br />
How do they taste their food<br />
If you’ve watched a butterfly resting on a leaf, consider<br />
that you might have interrupted its lunch! Butterflies taste<br />
through their feet. The female also does this to check<br />
whether a plant is the right variety to lay her eggs on.