Previously butterflies were believed to be most closely related to a group of moths that collectively with the butterflies make up a group called the “Macrolepidoptera”. Lepidoptera have been conveniently divided into two groups, butterflies and moths, but this does not accurately reflect their relationship. It is true that many moths are drab, but it is also true that many butterflies, particularly in the Hesperidae and Satyridae, are almost as dull as the drabbest moth, and many moths rival the most brilliantly coloured butterflies. Colours produced by this method are whites, blues, and iridescent colours all other non-iridescent colours are produced by pigments.Īs noted above, the adults of many butterflies are brightly coloured, beautiful, and much sought after by collectors. Structural colours result from the physical structure of the surface material interacting with wavelengths of light to reflect wavelengths which we perceive as colour. Pigment colours result from the molecular structure of certain compounds inside the wall of the scale reflecting specific wavelengths, and are responsible for the majority of colours in butterflies, moths and other insects. Some specialized scales are involved in the chemical release of substances, such as sex-attractants.Ĭolour results from two kinds of categories: pigments and structure. Although primarily responsible for colour, they also act as thermoregulators, providing an insulating effect which helps maintain body temperature, warming it when it is cold outside, and cooling it when it is too hot. Scales are attached to the wing by a narrow stalk inserted in a socket on the wing surface. Each scale is a single colour, and collectively they impart a colour pattern on a wing. Wing colour is derived from the scales, which are modified hairs of various shapes and structures, about a half a millimetre in length, flattened and forming a dense grouping on the wing surface. The body and legs are also covered with scales. Most moths are night fliers and are rarely seen, and they remain mysterious to most people.īutterflies and moths are included in the order Lepidopera, and are most readily recognized by the scales on the wings in fact, the name of the order is derived from that: lepido, scale ptero, wings. Most people assume them to be drab and dull, and their only contact with moths is when they are seen fluttering around an outdoor light, or if one happens to fly inside, caught, and tossed outside without another thought. Butterflies are quite possibly the most-loved and most-collected of all the insects their sister group, the moths, however have been mostly neglected and overlooked, even though the number of species is several times that of butterflies.
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