Beautiful Butterflies: Fascinating Facts, and Great Pics of more than one kind of Butterfly

There are nearly 24,000 different species of butterflies. Most of these species are found in Central and South America, as well as the Amazon basin. Despite the wide variety in these areas, Asia has the largest and most stunning looking butterflies. Part of the reason butterflies are found in these areas is because they survive best in warm moist climates.

Life Expectancy:

A butterfly has a very short life expectancy. Some that live in the tropics can live up to a year, whereas, there are some that only live a few months, weeks, and even hours. Butterflies are generally fragile creatures; therefore if an area has an abundance of butterflies you can assume that the ecosystem is healthy and well cared for.

If butterflies begin to die or disappear, then there might be a change in the environment that is causing an unhealthy ecosystem. This is dangerous since they are a valuable source of food for many birds and assist in the pollination of flowers as well. Butterflies are drawn to beautiful colors of flowers, which is a main source of food for most butterflies. By flying from flower to flower, they assist in fertilization due to pollen sticking to one of their six legs and landing on the next flower. 

Weird Tastes

Probably the most surprising fact about butterflies and their diet is that butterflies do not "eat" anything once they have left the caterpillar stage. Although they do drink nectar and fluids from fruits. While they are still in the caterpillar phase they will eat plants, leaves, and fruit. Part of why, butterflies do not "eat" anything is because they have a unique straw like structure in their mouth, so their is no chewing, just swallowing. This straw like structure does not do the tasting it is their feet that allows them to taste. Most butterflies love the taste of sweet nectar, although there are some that love the taste of rotting food and animal dung. Yes, you can say it. GROSS!

Even the butterflies who do like rotting meat and animal dung are an important part of our ecosystem. That is why it is important that we be careful using pesticides, herbicides, or any other chemicals that would be harmful to the natural environment.

Saving the Butterflies

Some butterflies are becoming so rare that they are almost extinct due to their diminishing habitat. Fortunately, there are some conservation places like Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that supports the healthy living of butterflies in a nice warm environment. From March to April, they hold a butterfly show that allows butterflies who have a short life expectancy to live in their gardens. It is a beautiful show, and just captures the attention of people of all ages. All these pictures were taken there through out the years.

Climate Needs

I have to admit I cannot stay long with the butterflies, because butterflies need to live in hot climates. The rooms are incredibly hot to assist in their survival. If their body temperature falls below 86 degrees, they become unable to fly. This is why butterflies are most plentiful in the tropics and you usually do not see them fly at night, because that is when they rest. Some are even migratory, and will fly to warmer lands during the winter, then come back in the spring when it is warmer.

The Chrysalis

As everyone knows, butterflies begin as caterpillars which makes chrysalises, which transforms a caterpillar into a butterfly. In places that assist in the preservation of rare butterflies like Frederick Meijer Gardens, they hire professional caretakers that will bring the chrysalises to the gardens just before they are about to break free. They don't usually bring them at the caterpillar phase.

There are such a wide variety of shapes and sizes for chrysalises. Each blend in with their natural habitat so well that prey are rarely able to spot them in the wild. Chrysalises are often mistaken as cocoons. Cocoons are covered in silk with a chrysalis inside. They are created by silk moths.

Body Structure

The interesting thing about caterpillars is they have absolutely no bones, but do have over a thousand muscles in their body. A caterpillar will grow 27000 times it's size from the egg phase to right before they build their cocoon. An adult butterfly does not grow in size as it gets older. The size they come out of the cocoon is the size they will live the rest of their lives. Therefore, all the growing of their wings occurs in the chrysalis.

The wings of a butterfly are actually completely see-through. Little scale-like structures add color and beauty to the wing. There is at least one butterfly whose wings do not have these scale-like structures and is completely clear, with the exception of the tops of the wing. It is fascinating to look at. Although I have seen this butterfly, I have not been able to capture it on film. The designs on each of the butterflies are intended for camouflage purposes.

Importance of a Butterfly

The survival of a butterfly is a sign that our world around us is healthy. To maintain that healthy atmosphere we need to take care of our world. Each of these butterflies that I took a picture of were found in one of the preservation systems like that of Frederick Meijer Garden. I encourage you to go to one, it is a rare treat to see so many butterflies in one area.