81-418: Wallflower or Erysimum is a genus of flowering plants. Wallflower may also refer to: Wallflower Over 180, see text Erysimum , or wallflower , is a genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae . It includes more than 150 species , both popular garden plants and many wild forms. Erysimum is characterised by star-shaped and/or two-sided) trichomes growing from
162-514: A larva , a pupa , and an imago or adult. The larvae are commonly called caterpillars , and the pupae of moths encapsulated in silk are called cocoons , while the uncovered pupae of butterflies are called chrysalides . Unless the species reproduces year-round, a butterfly or moth may enter diapause , a state of dormancy that allows the insect to survive unfavorable environmental conditions. Males usually start eclosion (emergence) earlier than females and peak in numbers before females. Both of
243-457: A lepidopterist . Butterflies and moths are mostly herbivorous ( folivorous ) as caterpillars and nectarivorous as adults. They play an important role in the natural ecosystem as pollinators and serve as primary consumers in the food chain ; conversely, their larvae (caterpillars) are considered very problematic to vegetation in agriculture, as they consume large quantity of plant matter (mostly foliage ) to sustain growth. In many species,
324-519: A disease of Brassicaceae . Growth is best in dry soils with very good drainage, and they are often grown successfully in loose wall mortar, hence the vernacular name. There is a wide range of flower color in the warm spectrum, including white, yellow, orange, red, pink, maroon, purple and russet. The flowers, appearing in spring, usually have a strong, pleasant fragrance. Wallflowers are often associated in spring bedding schemes with tulips and forget-me-nots . The cultivar 'Bowles's Mauve' has gained
405-771: A divergence of a species into different morphs. A good example is the Indian white admiral Limenitis procris , which has five forms, each geographically separated from the other by large mountain ranges. An even more dramatic showcase of geographical polymorphism is the Apollo butterfly ( Parnassius apollo ). Because the Apollos live in small local populations, thus having no contact with each other, coupled with their strong stenotopic nature and weak migration ability, interbreeding between populations of one species practically does not occur; by this, they form over 600 different morphs, with
486-516: A few millimeters long, to conspicuous animals with a wingspan greater than 25 centimetres (9.8 in), such as the Queen Alexandra's birdwing and Atlas moth . Lepidopterans undergo a four-stage life cycle : egg ; larva or caterpillar ; pupa or chrysalis ; and imago (plural: imagines) / adult and show many variations of the basic body structure, which give these animals advantages for diverse lifestyles and environments. The head
567-492: A form of acoustic courtship, or attract mates using sound or vibration such as the polka-dot wasp moth, Syntomeida epilais . Adaptations include undergoing one seasonal generation, two or even more, called voltinism (Univoltism, bivoltism, and multivism, respectively). Most lepidopterans in temperate climates are univoltine, while in tropical climates most have two seasonal broods. Some others may take advantage of any opportunity they can get, and mate continuously throughout
648-583: A long history of use in traditional medicine. In Naturalis Historia by Pliny the Elder ( c. 77 ), Erysimum is classified as a medicinal rather than a food plant. Erysimum cheiri is described as a medicinal herb in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides ( c. 70 ), which was the predominant European medical pharmacopeia for more than 1,500 years. Other medieval descriptions of medicinal herbs and their uses, including
729-471: A number of micropyles , or tiny funnel-shaped openings at one end, the purpose of which is to allow sperm to enter and fertilize the egg. Butterfly and moth eggs vary greatly in size between species, but they are all either spherical or ovate. The egg stage lasts a few weeks in most butterflies, but eggs laid prior to winter, especially in temperate regions , go through diapause , and hatching may be delayed until spring. Other butterflies may lay their eggs in
810-466: A pair of legs on each segment. The thorax is also lined with many spiracles on both the mesothorax and metathorax, except for a few aquatic species, which instead have a form of gills . The abdomen, which is less sclerotized than the thorax, consists of 10 segments with membranes in between, allowing for articulated movement. The sternum, on the first segment, is small in some families and is completely absent in others. The last two or three segments form
891-493: A population of a particular species. Polymorphism occurs both at specific level with heritable variation in the overall morphological adaptations of individuals, as well as in certain specific morphological or physiological traits within a species. Environmental polymorphism, in which traits are not inherited, is often termed as polyphenism, which in Lepidoptera is commonly seen in the form of seasonal morphs, especially in
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#1732786852728972-431: A population, but also between the sexes as sexual dimorphism , between geographically separated populations in geographical polymorphism , and between generations flying at different seasons of the year ( seasonal polymorphism or polyphenism ). In some species, the polymorphism is limited to one sex, typically the female. This often includes the phenomenon of mimicry when mimetic morphs fly alongside nonmimetic morphs in
1053-482: A separate organ for mating, and an external duct that carries the sperm from the male. The abdomen of the caterpillar has four pairs of prolegs, normally located on the third to sixth segments of the abdomen, and a separate pair of prolegs by the anus, which have a pair of tiny hooks called crotchets. These aid in gripping and walking, especially in species that lack many prolegs (e. g. larvae of Geometridae ). In some basal moths, these prolegs may be on every segment of
1134-458: A series of stages called instars . Once fully matured, the larva develops into a pupa . A few butterflies and many moth species spin a silk casing or cocoon for protection prior to pupating, while others do not, instead going underground. A butterfly pupa, called a chrysalis , has a hard skin, usually with no cocoon. Once the pupa has completed its metamorphosis, a sexually mature adult emerges. Lepidopterans first appeared in fossil record in
1215-409: A variety of plants e. g., hepialids and some nymphalids ) while most lay their eggs near or on the host plant on which the larvae feed. The number of eggs laid may vary from only a few to several thousand. The females of both butterflies and moths select the host plant instinctively, and primarily, by chemical cues. The eggs are derived from materials ingested as a larva and in some species, from
1296-409: A wide range of wing patterns and coloration ranging from drab moths akin to the related order Trichoptera , to the brightly colored and complex-patterned butterflies. Accordingly, this is the most recognized and popular of insect orders with many people involved in the observation, study, collection, rearing of, and commerce in these insects. A person who collects or studies this order is referred to as
1377-478: A year; however, some species may take up to 3 years to develop, and exceptional examples like Gynaephora groenlandica take as long as seven years. The larval stage is where the feeding and growing stages occur, and the larvae periodically undergo hormone-induced ecdysis , developing further with each instar , until they undergo the final larval-pupal molt. The larvae of both butterflies and moths exhibit mimicry to deter potential predators. Some caterpillars have
1458-496: Is advertised using bright red, orange, black, or white warning colors. The toxic chemicals in plants are often evolved specifically to prevent them from being eaten by insects. Insects, in turn, develop countermeasures or make use of these toxins for their own survival. This "arms race" has led to the coevolution of insects and their host plants. No form of wing is externally visible on the larva, but when larvae are dissected, developing wings can be seen as disks, which can be found on
1539-640: Is deterred from feeding and oviposition by cardenolides in Erysimum cheiranthoides . Similarly, Anthocharis cardamines (orange tip butterfly), which oviposits on almost all crucifer species, avoids E. cheiranthoides . Erysimum asperum (western wallflower) is resistant to feeding and oviposition of Pieris napi macdunnoughii (synonym Pieris marginalis , margined white butterfly). Two crucifer-feeding beetles, Phaedon sp. and Phyllotreta sp., were deterred from feeding by cardenolides that were applied to their preferred food plants. Consistent with
1620-433: Is lost in current butterflies and moths. Instead, all the digestive enzymes, other than initial digestion, are immobilized at the surface of the midgut cells. In larvae, long-necked and stalked goblet cells are found in the anterior and posterior midgut regions, respectively. In insects, the goblet cells excrete positive potassium ions, which are absorbed from leaves ingested by the larvae. Most butterflies and moths display
1701-401: Is made of three fused segments, the prothorax , mesothorax , and metathorax , each with a pair of legs. The first segment contains the first pair of legs. In some males of the butterfly family Nymphalidae , the forelegs are greatly reduced and are not used for walking or perching. The three pairs of legs are covered with scales. Lepidoptera also have olfactory organs on their feet, which aid
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#17327868527281782-708: Is pollinated almost exclusively by Anthophora alluadii . Like most Brassicaceae , species in the genus Erysimum produce glucosinolates as defensive compounds. However, unlike almost all other genera in the Brassicaceae, Erysimum also accumulates cardiac glycosides , another class of phytochemicals with an ecological importance in insect defense. Cardiac glycosides specifically function to prevent insect herbivory and/or oviposition by blocking ion channel function in muscle cells. These chemicals are toxic enough to deter generalist, and even some specialist insect herbivores. Cardiac glycoside production
1863-486: Is transferred to the rest of the body when conditions are unfavorable. In lepidopteran species, hemolymph is circulated through the veins in the wings by some form of pulsating organ, either by the heart or by the intake of air into the trachea . Air is taken in through spiracles along the sides of the abdomen and thorax supplying the trachea with oxygen as it goes through the lepidopteran's respiratory system . Three different tracheaes supply and diffuse oxygen throughout
1944-486: Is where many sensing organs and the mouth parts are found. Like the adult, the larva also has a toughened, or sclerotized head capsule. Here, two compound eyes , and chaetosema , raised spots or clusters of sensory bristles unique to Lepidoptera, occur, though many taxa have lost one or both of these spots. The antennae have a wide variation in form among species and even between different sexes. The antennae of butterflies are usually filiform and shaped like clubs, those of
2025-544: Is widespread in Erysimum , with at least 48 species in the genus containing these compounds. Accumulation of cardiac glycosides in Erysimum crepidifolium , but not other tested species, is induced by treatment with jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate , endogenous elicitors of chemical defenses in many plant species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that Erysimum diversification from other Brassicaceae species that do not produce cardiac glycosides began in
2106-546: The Dispensatorium des Cordus by Valerius Cordus (1542), Bocks Kräuterbuch by Hieronymus Bock (1577), and Tabernaemontanus' Neuw Kreuterbuch by Jacobus Theodorus Tabernaemontanus (1588), also discuss applications of E. cheiri . In traditional Chinese medicine, Erysimum cheiranthoides has been used to treat heart disease and other ailments. Although medical uses of Erysimum became uncommon in Europe after
2187-514: The Middle Ages , Erysimum diffusum, as well as purified erysimin and erysimoside, have been applied more recently as Ukrainian ethnobotanical treatments. Lepidoptera Aglossata Glossata Heterobathmiina Zeugloptera Lepidoptera ( / ˌ l ɛ p ɪ ˈ d ɒ p t ər ə / LEP -ih- DOP -tər-ə ) or lepidopterans is an order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths . About 180,000 species of
2268-488: The Pliocene (2.33–5.2 million years ago), suggesting relatively recent evolution of cardiac glycosides as a defensive trait in this genus. The evolution of novel chemical defenses in plants, such as cardenolides in the genus Erysimum , is predicted to allow escape from herbivory by specialist herbivores and expansion into new ecological niches. The crucifer-feeding specialist Pieries rapae (white cabbage butterfly)
2349-494: The Royal Horticultural Society 's Award of Garden Merit . It can become a bushy evergreen perennial in milder locations. It is strongly scented and attractive to bees. Erysimum is found in a range of habitats across the northern hemisphere, and has developed diverse morphology and growth habits (herbaceous annual or perennial, and woody perennial). Different Erysimum species are used as food plants by
2430-743: The Triassic - Jurassic boundary and have coevolved with flowering plants since the angiosperm boom in the Middle / Late Cretaceous . They show many variations of the basic body structure that have evolved to gain advantages in lifestyle and distribution. Recent estimates suggest the order may have more species than earlier thought, and is among the five most species-rich orders (each with over 100,000 species) along with Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), Hymenoptera ( ants , bees , wasps and sawflies ) and Hemiptera ( cicadas , aphids and other true bugs). They have, over millions of years, evolved
2511-736: The larvae of some Lepidoptera ( butterflies and moths ) species including the garden carpet ( Xanthorhoe fluctuata ). In addition, some species of weevils, like Ceutorhynchus chlorophanus , live inside the fruits feeding on the developing seeds. Many species of beetles, bugs and grasshoppers eat the leaves and stalks. Some mammalian herbivores, for example mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) in North America, argali ( Ovis ammon ) in Mongolia, red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) in Central Europe, or Spanish ibex ( Capra pyrenaica ) in
Wallflower (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-460: The larvae . Like most other insects, butterflies and moths are holometabolous , meaning they undergo complete metamorphosis . The larvae are commonly called caterpillars , and are completely different from their adult moth or butterfly forms, having a cylindrical body with a well-developed head, mandible mouth parts, three pairs of thoracic legs and from none up to five pairs of prolegs . As they grow, these larvae change in appearance, going through
2673-458: The English word moth are clearer, deriving from Old English moððe (cf. Northumbrian dialect mohðe ) from Common Germanic (compare Old Norse motti , Dutch mot and German Motte all meaning "moth"). Perhaps its origins are related to Old English maða meaning " maggot " or from the root of " midge ", which until the 16th century was used mostly to indicate
2754-481: The Iberian Peninsula, feed on wallflower flowering and fruiting stalks. Erysimum crepidifolium (pale wallflower) is toxic to some generalist vertebrate herbivores. Most wallflowers are pollinator-generalists, their flowers being visited by many different species of bees, bee flies, hoverflies, butterflies, beetles, and ants. However, there are some specialist species. For example, Erysimum scoparium
2835-400: The Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organisms, making it the second largest insect order (behind Coleoptera ) with 126 families and 46 superfamilies , and one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world. Lepidopteran species are characterized by more than three derived features. The most apparent is
2916-424: The abdominal prolegs, degenerate, while others such as the legs and wings undergo growth. After finding a suitable place, the animal sheds its last larval cuticle, revealing the pupal cuticle underneath. Depending on the species, the pupa may be covered in a silk cocoon, attached to different types of substrates, buried in the ground, or may not be covered at all. Features of the imago are externally recognizable in
2997-490: The ability to inflate parts of their heads to appear snake-like. Many have false eye-spots to enhance this effect. Some caterpillars have special structures called osmeteria (family Papilionidae ), which are exposed to produce smelly chemicals used in defense. Host plants often have toxic substances in them, and caterpillars are able to sequester these substances and retain them into the adult stage. This helps make them unpalatable to birds and other predators. Such unpalatability
3078-442: The anterior region of the foregut has been modified to form a pharyngeal sucking pump as they need it for the food they eat, which are for the most part liquids. An esophagus follows and leads to the posterior of the pharynx and in some species forms a form of crop. The midgut is short and straight, with the hindgut being longer and coiled. Ancestors of lepidopteran species, stemming from Hymenoptera , had midgut ceca, although this
3159-459: The bodies of organisms rather than the environment. Coprophagous pyralid moth species, called sloth moths , such as Bradipodicola hahneli and Cryptoses choloepi , are unusual in that they are exclusively found inhabiting the fur of sloths , mammals found in Central and South America . Two species of Tinea moths have been recorded as feeding on horny tissue and have been bred from
3240-512: The body, while prolegs may be completely absent in other groups, which are more adapted to boring and living in sand (e. g., Prodoxidae and Nepticulidae , respectively). The wings, head, and parts of the thorax and abdomen of Lepidoptera are covered with minute scales, a feature from which the order derives its name. Most scales are lamellar , or blade-like, and attached with a pedicel, while other forms may be hair-like or specialized as secondary sexual characteristics. The lumen or surface of
3321-454: The butterfly families of Nymphalidae and Pieridae . An Old World pierid butterfly, the common grass yellow ( Eurema hecabe ) has a darker summer adult morph, triggered by a long day exceeding 13 hours in duration, while the shorter diurnal period of 12 hours or less induces a paler morph in the postmonsoon period. Polyphenism also occurs in caterpillars, an example being the peppered moth, Biston betularia . Geographical isolation causes
Wallflower (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-648: The butterfly in "tasting" or "smelling" out its food. In the larval form there are 3 pairs of true legs, with up to 11 pairs of abdominal legs (usually eight) and hooklets, called apical crochets. The two pairs of wings are found on the middle and third segments, or mesothorax and metathorax , respectively. In the more recent genera, the wings of the second segment are much more pronounced, although some more primitive forms have similarly sized wings of both segments. The wings are covered in scales arranged like shingles, which form an extraordinary variety of colors and patterns. The mesothorax has more powerful muscles to propel
3483-477: The external parts of the species' sex organs. The genitalia of Lepidoptera are highly varied and are often the only means of differentiating between species. Male genitals include a valva , which is usually large, as it is used to grasp the female during mating. Female genitalia include three distinct sections. The females of basal moths have only one sex organ, which is used for copulation and as an ovipositor , or egg-laying organ. About 98% of moth species have
3564-469: The family Micropterigidae . The larvae, called caterpillars , have a toughened head capsule. Caterpillars lack the proboscis and have separate chewing mouthparts . These mouthparts, called mandibles , are used to chew up the plant matter that the larvae eat. The lower jaw, or labium, is weak, but may carry a spinneret , an organ used to create silk. The head is made of large lateral lobes, each having an ellipse of up to six simple eyes. The thorax
3645-415: The female may produce from 200 to 600 eggs, while in others, the number may approach 30,000 eggs in one day. The caterpillars hatching from these eggs can cause significant damage to crops within a very short period of time. Many moth and butterfly species are of economic interest by virtue of their role as pollinators, the silk in their cocoon, or for extermination as pest species. The term Lepidoptera
3726-475: The fused segments of the sterna 9 and 10, which act as insemination and oviposition. In the exoporian type (in Hepialoidea and Mnesarchaeoidea ) are two separate places for insemination and oviposition, both occurring on the same sterna as the monotrysian type, i.e. 9 and 10. The ditrysian groups have an internal duct that carries sperm, with separate openings for copulation and egg-laying. In most species,
3807-402: The genitalia are flanked by two soft lobes, although they may be specialized and sclerotized in some species for ovipositing in area such as crevices and inside plant tissue. Hormones and the glands that produce them run the development of butterflies and moths as they go through their life cycles, called the endocrine system . The first insect hormone prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) operates
3888-760: The hedgenettle), itself from the word eryo ( ἐρύω ) meaning to drag or eryso , a form of rhyomai ( ῥύομαι ), meaning "to ward off" or "to heal" in reference to its medicinal properties. Wallflowers are native to temperate Eurasia, North Africa and Macaronesia , and North America south to Costa Rica. Many wallflowers are endemic to small areas, such as: Most wallflower garden cultivars (e.g. Erysimum 'Chelsea Jacket' ) are derived from E. cheiri (often placed in Cheiranthus ), from southern Europe. They are often attacked by fungal and bacterial disease, so they are best grown as biennials and discarded after flowering. They are also susceptible to clubroot ,
3969-422: The horns of cattle. The larva of Zenodochium coccivorella is an internal parasite of the coccid Kermes species. Many species have been recorded as breeding in natural materials or refuse such as owl pellets, bat caves, honeycombs or diseased fruit. As of 2007, there were roughly 174,250 lepidopteran species described, with butterflies and skippers estimated to comprise around 17,950, and moths making up
4050-497: The hypothesis of enhanced speciation after escape from herbivory, phylogenetic studies involving 128 Erysimum species indicate diversification in Eurasia between 0.5 and 2 million years ago, and in North America between 0.7 and 1.65 million years ago.) This evolutionarily rapid expansion of the Erysimum genus has resulted in several hundred known species distributed throughout the northern hemisphere. Erysimum species have
4131-432: The lamella has a complex structure. It gives color either by colored pigments it contains, or through structural coloration with mechanisms that include photonic crystals and diffraction gratings . Scales function in insulation, thermoregulation, producing pheromones ( in males only ), and aiding gliding flight, but the most important is the large diversity of vivid or indistinct patterns they provide, which help
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#17327868527284212-698: The larva, usually in reference to devouring clothes. The etymological origins of the word "caterpillar", the larval form of butterflies and moths, are from the early 16th century, from Middle English catirpel , catirpeller , probably an alteration of Old North French catepelose (from Latin cattus , "cat" + pilosus , "hairy"). The Lepidoptera are among the most successful groups of insects. They are found on all continents, except Antarctica , and inhabit all terrestrial habitats ranging from desert to rainforest, from lowland grasslands to mountain plateaus, but almost always associated with higher plants, especially angiosperms ( flowering plants ). Among
4293-550: The literature, partly on the card indices in the Natural History Museum (London) and the National Museum of Natural History (Washington), and partly on estimates: Lepidoptera are morphologically distinguished from other orders principally by the presence of scales on the external parts of the body and appendages, especially the wings . Butterflies and moths vary in size from microlepidoptera only
4374-487: The male that mated most recently with the female is most likely to have fertilized the eggs, but the sperm from a prior mating may still prevail. Lepidoptera usually reproduce sexually and are oviparous (egg-laying), though some species exhibit live birth in a process called ovoviviparity . A variety of differences in egg -laying and the number of eggs laid occur. Some species simply drop their eggs in flight (these species normally have polyphagous larvae, meaning they eat
4455-501: The membrane. Moving may help the pupa, for example, escape the sun, which would otherwise kill it. The pupa of the Mexican jumping bean moth ( Cydia saltitans ) does this. The larvae cut a trapdoor in the bean (species of Sebastiania ) and use the bean as a shelter. With a sudden rise in temperature, the pupa inside twitches and jerks, pulling on the threads inside. Wiggling may also help to deter parasitoid wasps from laying eggs on
4536-688: The most northern dwelling species of butterflies and moths is the Arctic Apollo ( Parnassius arcticus ), which is found in the Arctic Circle in northeastern Yakutia , at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level. In the Himalayas , various Apollo species such as Parnassius epaphus have been recorded to occur up to an altitude of 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) above sea level. Some lepidopteran species exhibit symbiotic , phoretic , or parasitic lifestyles, inhabiting
4617-518: The moth or butterfly through the air, with the wing of this segment (forewing) having a stronger vein structure. The largest superfamily, the Noctuoidea , has their wings modified to act as tympanal or hearing organs . The caterpillar has an elongated, soft body that may have hair-like or other projections, three pairs of true legs, with none to 11 pairs of abdominal legs (usually eight) and hooklets, called apical crochets. The thorax usually has
4698-401: The organism protect itself by camouflage or mimicry , and which act as signals to other animals including rivals and potential mates . In the reproductive system of butterflies and moths , the male genitalia are complex and unclear. In females the three types of genitalia are based on the relating taxa: 'monotrysian', 'exoporian', and 'ditrysian'. In the monotrysian type is an opening on
4779-589: The plant and are normally considered pests to their host plants; some species have been found to lay their eggs on the fruit and other species lay their eggs on clothing or fur (e. g., Tineola bisselliella , the common clothes moth). Some species are carnivorous, and others are even parasitic. Some lycaenid species such as Phengaris rebeli are social parasites of Myrmica ant nests. A species of Geometridae from Hawaii has carnivorous larvae that catch and eat flies. Some pyralid caterpillars are aquatic. The larvae develop rapidly with several generations in
4860-432: The presence of scales that cover the bodies , large triangular wings , and a proboscis for siphoning nectars . The scales are modified, flattened "hairs", and give butterflies and moths their wide variety of colors and patterns. Almost all species have some form of membranous wings, except for a few that have reduced wings or are wingless. Mating and the laying of eggs is normally performed near or on host plants for
4941-409: The pupa (in obtect pupae). Within hours, the wings form a cuticle so hard and well-joined to the body that pupae can be picked up and handled without damage to the wings. After about five to seven instars, or molts, certain hormones, like PTTH, stimulate the production of ecdysone , which initiates insect molting. The larva starts to develop into the pupa : body parts specific to the larva, such as
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#17327868527285022-457: The pupa. All the appendages on the adult head and thorax are found cased inside the cuticle ( antennae , mouthparts , etc.), with the wings wrapped around, adjacent to the antennae. The pupae of some species have functional mandibles, while the pupal mandibles are not functional in others. Although the pupal cuticle is highly sclerotized, some of the lower abdominal segments are not fused, and are able to move using small muscles found in between
5103-414: The pupa. Other species of moths are able to make clicks to deter predators. The length of time before the pupa ecloses (emerges) varies greatly. The monarch butterfly may stay in its chrysalis for two weeks, while other species may need to stay for more than 10 months in diapause. The adult emerges from the pupa either by using abdominal hooks or from projections located on the head. The mandibles found in
5184-443: The rest. The vast majority of Lepidoptera are to be found in the tropics, but substantial diversity exists on most continents. North America has over 700 species of butterflies and over 11,000 species of moths, while about 400 species of butterflies and 14,000 species of moths are reported from Australia. The diversity of Lepidoptera in each faunal region has been estimated by John Heppner in 1991 based partly on actual counts from
5265-631: The same time. Polymorphic and/or mimetic females occur in the case of some taxa in the Papilionidae primarily to obtain a level of protection not available to the male of their species. The most distinct case of sexual dimorphism is that of adult females of many Psychidae species which have only vestigial wings, legs, and mouthparts as compared to the adult males that are strong fliers with well-developed wings and feathery antennae. Species of Lepidoptera undergo holometabolism or "complete metamorphosis". Their life cycle normally consists of an egg ,
5346-484: The sclerites, mandibles (mouthparts) for chewing, and a soft tubular, segmented body, that may have hair-like or other projections, three pairs of true legs, and additional prolegs (up to five pairs). The body consists of thirteen segments, of which three are thoracic and ten are abdominal. Most larvae are herbivores , but a few are carnivores (some eat ants or other caterpillars) and detritivores . Different herbivorous species have adapted to feed on every part of
5427-449: The second and third thoracic segments, in place of the spiracles that are apparent on abdominal segments. Wing disks develop in association with a trachea that runs along the base of the wing, and are surrounded by a thin peripodial membrane, which is linked to the outer epidermis of the larva by a tiny duct. Wing disks are very small until the last larval instar, when they increase dramatically in size, are invaded by branching tracheae from
5508-502: The sexes are sexually mature by the time of eclosion. Butterflies and moths normally do not associate with each other, except for migrating species, staying relatively asocial. Mating begins with an adult (female or male) attracting a mate, normally using visual stimuli, especially in diurnal species like most butterflies. However, the females of most nocturnal species, including almost all moth species, use pheromones to attract males, sometimes from long distances. Some species engage in
5589-461: The shape of the antennae of butterflies. The origins of the common names "butterfly" and "moth" are varied and often obscure. The English word butterfly is from Old English buttorfleoge , with many variations in spelling. Other than that, the origin is unknown, although it could be derived from the pale yellow color of many species' wings suggesting the color of butter. The species of Heterocera are commonly called moths . The origins of
5670-814: The size of spots on the wings of which varies greatly. Sexual dimorphism is the occurrence of differences between males and females in a species. In Lepidoptera, it is widespread and almost completely set by genetic determination. Sexual dimorphism is present in all families of the Papilionoidea and more prominent in the Lycaenidae , Pieridae , and certain taxa of the Nymphalidae . Apart from color variation, which may differ from slight to completely different color-pattern combinations, secondary sexual characteristics may also be present. Different genotypes maintained by natural selection may also be expressed at
5751-542: The skippers are hooked, while those of moths have flagellar segments variously enlarged or branched. Some moths have enlarged antennae or ones that are tapered and hooked at the ends. The maxillary galeae are modified and form an elongated proboscis . The proboscis consists of one to five segments, usually kept coiled up under the head by small muscles when it is not being used to suck up nectar from flowers or other liquids. Some basal moths still have mandibles , or separate moving jaws, like their ancestors, and these form
5832-420: The species life cycle and diapause . This hormone is produced by corpora allata and corpora cardiaca , where it is also stored. Some glands are specialized to perform certain task such as producing silk or producing saliva in the palpi. While the corpora cardiaca produce PTTH, the corpora allata also produces juvenile hormones, and the prothorocic glands produce moulting hormones. In the digestive system ,
5913-439: The species' bodies. The dorsal tracheae supply oxygen to the dorsal musculature and vessels, while the ventral tracheae supply the ventral musculature and nerve cord, and the visceral tracheae supply the guts, fat bodies, and gonads. Polymorphism is the appearance of forms or "morphs", which differ in color and number of attributes within a single species. In Lepidoptera, polymorphism can be seen not only between individuals in
5994-410: The spermatophores received from males during mating. An egg can only be 1/1000 the mass of the female, yet she may lay up to her own mass in eggs. Females lay smaller eggs as they age. Larger females lay larger eggs. The egg is covered by a hard-ridged protective outer layer of shell, called the chorion . It is lined with a thin coating of wax , which prevents the egg from drying out. Each egg contains
6075-430: The spring and have them hatch in the summer. These butterflies are usually temperate species (e. g. Nymphalis antiopa ). The larvae or caterpillars are the first stage in the life cycle after hatching. Caterpillars are "characteristic polypod larvae with cylindrical bodies, short thoracic legs, and abdominal prolegs (pseudopods)". They have a sclerotized head capsule with an adfrontal suture formed by medial fusion of
6156-565: The stem, with bright yellow to red or pink bilateral flowers . Flowering occurs during spring and summer. One species, Erysimum semperflorens , native to Morocco and Algeria, has white flowers. The flowering part of the stem ranges from 4 to 7mm. There are four pouch-shaped sepals , light green, 5–7mm × 1.5–2mm. The genus name Erysimum is derived from the Ancient Greek erysimon ( ἐρύσιμον , Sisymbrium officinale or Sisymbrium polyceratium [ d ] ,
6237-599: The stem, with yellow, red, pink or orange flowers and multiseeded seed pods. Wallflowers are annuals , herbaceous perennials or sub-shrubs . The perennial species are short-lived and in cultivation treated as biennials . Most species have stems erect, with a covering of bifid hairs, usually 25 ± 53cm × 2–3mm in size. The leaves are narrow and fixed. The lower leaves are broad and round with backwardly directed lobes, 50–80mm × 0.5–3mm. Stem leaves are linear, entire, growing whitish with 2-fid hairs; 21–43mm × 1.5–2mm. Flower clusters grow at intervals on short equal stalks along
6318-445: The usual digestive cycle, but species with different diets require adaptations to meet these new demands. Some, like the luna moth , exhibit no digestive system whatsoever; they survive as adults from stored energy consumed as larvae and live for no longer than 7-10 days. In the circulatory system , hemolymph , or insect blood, is used to circulate heat in a form of thermoregulation , where muscles contraction produces heat, which
6399-399: The wing base that precede the formation of the wing veins and begin to develop patterns associated with several landmarks of the wing. Near pupation, the wings are forced outside the epidermis under pressure from the hemolymph , and although they are initially quite flexible and fragile, by the time the pupa breaks free of the larval cuticle, they have adhered tightly to the outer cuticle of
6480-423: The year. These seasonal adaptations are controlled by hormones, and these delays in reproduction are called diapause . Many lepidopteran species, after mating and laying their eggs, die shortly afterwards, having only lived for a few days after eclosion. Others may still be active for several weeks and then overwinter and become sexually active again when the weather becomes more favorable, or diapause. The sperm of
6561-425: Was used in 1746 by Carl Linnaeus in his Fauna Svecica . The word is derived from Greek λεπίς lepís , gen. λεπίδος lepídos (" scale ") and πτερόν ("wing"). Sometimes, the term Rhopalocera is used for the clade of all butterfly species, derived from the Ancient Greek ῥόπαλον ( rhopalon ) and κέρας ( keras ) meaning "club" and "horn", respectively, coming from
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