What miracles does the great and powerful nature create! This is especially true for huge butterflies, which from unpleasant-looking caterpillars turn into real beauties, resembling flower buds fluttering through the air.
There are species of these insects that, in their size, can surpass average bird. Basically, fluttering giants are common in the tropics. It is difficult to say which butterfly is the largest in the world, but the most grandiose ones are worth a closer look.
Madagascar Urania can be found on the island of Madagascar. It received this name in honor of the Muse of the science of astronomy. Its wingspan is 12 cm. This beauty is active during the day, warmed by the rays of sunlight, it flutters over flowers, collecting nectar from them.
The active growth of Urania begins in May and continues until the end of July. The Madagascar beauty is distinguished by the unusual coloring of its wings, which shimmer in the sunlight with the entire spectrum of colors of the rainbow.
This butterfly lives in Russia, mainly on Far East. In addition, it can be found on the Japanese shores, Korea and China. It received this name in honor of the naturalist who studied insects at the end of the 19th century - Richard Maack. The wings of the Sailfish can open up to 13.5 cm.
The color of her wings is incredibly interesting:
- the front part of the male’s wings is painted black, on which a green coating flickers, condensing towards the edges into an emerald-colored border;
- on the opposite section of the wing you can see a kind of fringe, in the form of the finest lace of small hairs;
- the female's wings are uniformly colored brown, with only a few green dots visible on its front surface;
- The border, located at the very edge of the beauty’s wings, contains shades of green-blue and red-violet.
Photo of Sailboat Maak Such butterflies are common in deciduous forests, but they can even be found in spruce forests and mixed plantings. At a time when widespread flowering of subalpine vegetation begins, Maak's Sailboat can rise to a height of 2000 m above sea level.
The Chimera is a truly unique butterfly; it is capable of performing incredible turns and tricks in the air. This ability is given to her by wings, one of the largest in the world, which have a span of 15 cm.
Ornithoptera is common in New Guinea and the island of Java, it prefers tropical rainforests, living at an altitude of 1200 to 1800 meters above sea level.
Female Chimeras differ slightly from males in their color and size. Their wings are painted in shades of black and white, while males have a wide variety of shades.
The Pear Peacock Eye belongs to the order Lepidoptera. It lives both in Europe and in Russia. The wingspan of this giantess can vary from 12 to 15 cm.
Atlas is an incredibly useful butterfly; in Taiwan they have found use for the cocoons that remain after the caterpillars. Changes are stored in them and used as wallets. In India, farmers breed such butterflies to obtain fagar silk, which has qualitative differences from the products created by silkworms.
Male Atlas peacock eyes are able to find a female for mating several tens of kilometers away.. Moreover, the mating process takes place over several hours. It is worth noting that the process of reproduction is key in the life of females; they die immediately after they create offspring.
Peacock-eye Hercules
This representative of the Lepidoptera family also received its name in honor of the hero Ancient Greece- Hercules. The Hercules peacock-eye is a real giant; it is capable of spreading its own wings (with an area of 263 square centimeters) over a distance of 27 cm, therefore it is considered the largest butterfly on the Australian continent.
Hercules is distinguished by unusually shaped wings, on which you can see a disc-shaped spot. These insects lead a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle.
This butterfly is distinguished not only by its incredible name, but also by its size. It is considered the largest of the daytime individuals and all thanks to its wings, the span of which can exceed 30 cm.
Birdwing lives in the tropics of New Guinea. It is protected by the state, which strictly ensures that the insect is not exported outside the country.
Tizania Agrippina
Agrippina is perhaps one of the largest butterflies in the world; experts also call it the moth. Tizania flies only at night, and it lives in Brazil and Peru, preferring tropical rainforests. Sometimes, when migrating, it can reach Mexico and the southern part of the United States.
The moth is difficult to fit in the palm of an adult man; the wingspan of some individuals reaches 31 cm. The butterfly feeds on bush leaves, it is not poisonous and is carefully protected by the state, because it is on the verge of extinction.
Butterflies are one of the few insects that do not disgust humans. This is one of the most widespread and recognizable orders of insects. Science knows more than 180 thousand species of these creatures. They were united into 126 families. Scientists suggest that approximately the same number of species are still unknown to science. Let's talk about these insects in more detail.
Butterflies: description
Many people have heard about what the butterfly effect is. In 1952, thanks to Ray Bradbury and his novel “A Sound of Thunder,” this term of natural science became known to ordinary people. Its essence is that even minor changes in the system can cause catastrophic and unpredictable consequences. Thus, in the book, the death of one butterfly under the boot of a time traveler led to the collapse of civilization in the future.
It is not known for certain whether butterflies are capable of destroying civilization, but their role in nature is incredibly important.
Here interesting facts about these insects:
Butterflies: features
In Russian, the word “butterfly” is similar to the words “grandmother” and “old woman”. In ancient times, people believed that these insects were actually the souls of the dead.
The word "moth" used to designate this type of insect is presumably of Czech or Polish origin. In these languages, a verb with a similar pronunciation means ‘to spin’ or ‘to move jerkily’.
The word “moth”, which denotes not the most pleasant representatives of this type of insect, is presumably Greek origin. In the original it meant 'small livestock'.
The earliest remains of butterflies are found among fossils from the Jurassic period. Scientists believe that one of the oldest species of butterflies was the moth, which lived 190 million years ago.
Images of butterflies have been found in ancient Egyptian temples and Mesoamerican cities. In antiquity, people associated them with the souls of the dead. The Mayans and Aztecs considered them to be the embodiment of the souls of fallen warriors and associated them with war.
In Japan, ancient beliefs have been preserved to this day that a butterfly flying into a guest room and landing behind a bamboo partition is a good sign that a loved one will come to the house. At the same time, a cluster of butterflies is a sign of misfortune.
Biologists classify butterflies as Lepidoptera. This order is characterized by metamorphosis - a complete transformation of the organism during the life cycle. A larva emerges from the egg and lives for a certain life cycle and turns into a chrysalis. The latter, unlike the larva, is inactive or does not move at all. It does not need nutrition and lives off the substances accumulated by the larva. A butterfly emerges from the pupa, which leads a fundamentally different lifestyle and eats differently than the larva.
There are butterflies on all continents. The exception is Antarctica. They survive even in harsh climates. For example, in Yakutia, beyond the Arctic Circle, there lives a species of butterfly called Apollo. Its counterparts in the Himalayas live at an altitude of up to 6 thousand meters above sea level.
How long do butterflies live?
Scientists give an ambiguous answer to the question of how long butterflies live. The length of their existence depends on factors such as life cycle stage and climatic conditions.
The standard life cycle of a lepidoptera consists of the following stages:
- Egg.
It may take 8-15 days for the caterpillar to emerge from the egg.
- Caterpillar.
The lifespan of caterpillars depends on many factors, including living conditions. The life cycle of caterpillars is varied. Depending on the species, they live from several days to several years.
There are species that live up to six years in the form of a caterpillar. In Greenland and Canada there is a species of caterpillar that lives up to 14 years. They are able to hibernate and tolerate cold temperatures down to –60 °C.
- Doll.
An insect can spend from two to three weeks to several months in the intermediate stage between a caterpillar and a butterfly if external conditions are unfavorable.
- Butterfly.
The adult stage, called imago by biologists, lasts from a few hours to three weeks in a butterfly. It all depends on the type and living conditions. Among insects there is a species that is considered long-lived. Thus, the Monarch is able to live in the butterfly state for up to nine months.
What do butterflies eat?
The question of what butterflies eat is also not clear-cut. Among the wide variety of these insects, there are those that feed on plant nectar, and there are also those that prefer rotten fruit, charcoal, sand or clay.
Death's-head butterflies prefer honey collected by bees, and in India and Malaysia there is a species of butterfly that will compete with mosquitoes, gnats and even vampire bats. Separate view moths consume the blood and tear fluids of large animals. They have a proboscis that allows them to pierce the skin of livestock.
There are also butterflies that live for several hours and do not need food at all.
How butterflies protect themselves from predators
There are several ways in which fragile insects protect themselves from predators. Here are the most common ones:
- Polymorphism.
In Africa, there is a species of swallowtail butterfly that does not have a single color variant, which increases the chances of survival of the species.
- Poisons and bad smell.
Some species of butterflies have a pungent odor that repels predators. Others, in caterpillar form, eat plants that contain toxins. As a result, the butterfly's body contains poison. For example, heliconides found in Central and South America contain cyanide. Birdwing butterflies in South Asia - aristolochic acid.
- Aposematism.
Aposematism is a specific natural phenomenon in which the most poisonous animals have the brightest coloration, warning predators of danger.
Some types of butterflies also indicate by their color that it is better not to touch them. Others have eye-shaped patterns on their wings to deter predators.
- Mimicry.
Some butterflies have evolved camouflage that allows them to look like inedible insects or blend into the landscape by taking the form of twigs, leaves, and so on.
- Anti-radar coating.
Moths either have special hairs that prevent nocturnal predators from detecting them with ultrasonic signals, or, like bears or the death's head hawk moth, they make special sounds that mislead predators.
Why are butterfly wings so beautiful?
It is not for nothing that butterflies are classified as Lepidoptera. Thanks to numerous unusually shaped scales, their wings have a beautiful color.
The scales differ in structure, color and location, which gives insect wings a unique appearance. Some species have scales that can transmit sunlight. Because of this, their color may change throughout the day.
Butterflies: the most beautiful types
Butterflies have long attracted attention with their beauty and unusual shapes. Here are five types of the most beautiful butterflies:
Swallowtail
Carl Linnaeus named this species of butterfly in 1758 in honor of the mythical healer, the son of Asclepius. According to legend, Machaon treated the Greeks during the siege of Troy.
There are 37 known subspecies of these insects. They live in Europe, Asia, North Africa and North America. The species is listed in the Red Books of several countries.
Butterflies can be recognized by the unusual color of their wings, in the corner of which there is a dark red spot with a black border. The front fender pattern combines black and yellow colors, and the rear ones are blue and yellow.
Peacock eye
The Latin name for this butterfly is Inachis, a reference to ancient Greek god Inahu Rivers. Butterflies with bright red wings, reminiscent of a peacock, and blue-black dots, reminiscent of eyes, live in Eurasia and Japan.
This species is one of the longest-living butterflies. In the steppe and forest zones it occurs in one generation, and in the Ciscaucasia and Crimea it is able to overwinter and produce a second generation. Butterflies appear in the first month of summer and can live for nine months.
Madagascar comet
These butterflies are endemic and can only be found in Madagascar. These are nocturnal creatures of large size. The wings can reach 180 mm in span. There are “tails” on the lower wings, thanks to which the species is nicknamed a comet. Their length reaches 16 cm.
These butterflies live up to five days and do not require feeding. They lack a proboscis, which allows them to feed on other butterflies. They can be recognized not only by the unusual shape of their wings, but also by their bright yellow color and brown eyes on the wings.
Greta Oto
A species of butterfly called glass butterfly because of its transparent wings. Lives in tropical forests Central and South America. Reaches a length of 3 cm. The wingspan of an adult is 6.1 cm.
Greta Oto changes color several times before acquiring transparent wings. So, its caterpillar is green with bright purple and red stripes, and the pupa is silver in color.
The glass butterfly travels up to 19 km per day and can reach a speed of 13 km/h. Transparent wings protect the insect from birds during migration. In addition, the caterpillar accumulates enough toxins to make the butterfly poisonous.
Peacock-eye atlas, or Prince of Darkness
One of the largest moths in the world. Lives only in Asia. With a wingspan of up to 30 cm, it has a disproportionately small body.
The name "Atlas" is a reference to the titan from ancient Greek mythology. The Chinese call the butterflies snakehead moths. The end of the upper wings of insects resembles the head of a snake - this is a natural defense mechanism against predators.
Despite the menacing name, butterflies are completely harmless. They live only a few days and do not need food. In Asia, they are considered relatives of silkworms and are used for textile production. In some Asian countries, Atlas cocoons are used as wallets.
Butterflies are extremely diverse. Among them there are diurnal and nocturnal species, vegetarians and predators, as well as those who do not need food at all. Each stage of their life (from egg to adult) is an independent life cycle. Since ancient times, they have surprised people with their unusual appearance and made them admire their beauty.
Madagascar comet or Madagascar Saturnia (Argema mittrei) - This representative of the peacock-eye family can be seen in nature only on the African island after which it is named. There is also a name - Moon moth.
The longest butterfly in the world is also called comet butterfly: due to the 14-16 centimeter forked “tail”.
Let's take a closer look at them...
Like its close relatives from the peacock-eye family, Saturnia Madagascar is distinguished by a small retracted head (with double-combed antennae in the male), bright coloring and a thick body covered with fluffy hairs.
Photo 3. 
On each wing, the size of a palm, there are large ocellated spots. Peacock eyes- one of the largest butterflies in the world. Wingspan 160-200 mm.
Photo 4. 
These insects do not feed: they live off the nutrients accumulated in the caterpillar stage. The unique butterfly lives only 2-3 days.
Photo 5. 
The wings are bright yellow. On each wing there is one large brown “eye”, with black dot in the center. The tips of the wings have a brown-black spot. A narrow gray-black border runs along the lateral edge of the lower wing. A reddish-brown wavy pattern runs along the wings.
Photo 6. 
The lower wings with tails are up to 13 cm long in males. The male's antennae are large and feathery. The female's forewings are wider and more rounded. The tails on the hind wings are shorter, up to 8 cm long, and approximately 2 times wider than those of males. The female's abdomen is large and barrel-shaped. The apical yellow areas on the tails of the hind wings quickly break off and can only be seen in young butterflies.
Photo 7. 
On Madagascar These magnificent butterflies are successfully bred on special farms.
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Representatives of the swallowtail family are rightfully considered the brightest and largest butterflies. They attract attention with an unusual combination of colors and the original shape of the wings. A swallowtail butterfly can catch the eye of a curious observer anywhere globe. About 20 species live in Russia, some are listed in the Red Book. One of the interesting features of sailboats is the tails on the hind wings. This detail distracts the birds' attention, saving the butterfly's life.
Description of the family
Swallowtails or cavaliers (Papilionidae) united medium and large butterflies. The wingspan of the representatives of the family is 65-280 mm. Individuals with amazing body and wing dimensions live in the tropics. In Palearctic species, the wing pattern consists of black fields, bands and spots on a yellow or white background. Red and blue spots dilute the palette. The head is round, the eyes are faceted, naked. The antennae are short, club-shaped. Walking legs are well developed.
The front wings are triangular, the hind wings are oval. The outer edge is wavy, and many species have tail-like outgrowths. Characteristic sign family - the hind wings have a notch, so they do not adhere to the abdomen. All butterflies are active during the day, in sunny weather. Most produce one generation per year, in the southern regions - two.
Interesting fact. The Hanington's sailboat lives in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5-6 thousand meters above sea level.
All representatives of the sailboat family are divided into three subfamilies:
The huge family of sailboats is divided into genera. One of them is Papilio or tail bearers. The group includes almost 200 species of butterflies, including swallowtail, Maaka swallowtails, zalmoxis, Alexanor, and Corsican. This genus includes the Antimach swallowtail, the largest butterfly on the African continent. Its wingspan is 20-23 cm. Unlike many species, males are larger than females, in some cases reaching 25 cm. The main background of the wings is orange or ocher, the pattern is formed by dark brown stripes and spots.
Sailboat antimah
Caterpillars
The larvae of the species are as diverse as the adults. They differ in size, color, and choice of food plants. But all caterpillars of the swallowtail butterfly have an interesting anatomical feature in common. They have an unusual organ - a fork-shaped sac-like gland. It is called the osmetry and is located in the prothoracic segment. In case of danger, the caterpillar puts out orange horns. A secretion with an unpleasant, pungent odor is released from the gland. The osmetry is used by early instar larvae. Adult caterpillars do not protrude the gland. Besides swallowtails, only the corydalis butterfly has a similar organ.
Swallowtail caterpillar
Distribution area
The swallowtail family lives throughout the world in 6 geographic areas. The largest specimens are found in the tropics. Sailfish can be found near the border Arctic Circle and high in the mountains.
Swallowtail butterflies photos with names
One of the most numerous families of lepidopteran insects with almost 600 species includes many interesting specimens.
The world's largest diurnal butterfly with a wingspan of 28 cm. Its homeland is the tropical forests of the island of New Guinea. The species has pronounced sexual dimorphism. The female is much larger, her color is predominantly brown and cream. The male, up to 20 cm in size, has narrow blue-green wings. The number of butterflies is limited; due to the destruction of natural habitats, they have become an endangered species.
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
Apollos
Many representatives of the Apollo species of the genus Parnassius are listed in the Red Book of Russia and European countries. A diurnal butterfly with a wingspan of 65-90 mm is found on dry edges of pine forests, clearings, and alpine meadows. They settle in the mountains of Europe, southern Scandinavia and the Urals, Transcaucasia, Southern Siberia, and Mongolia. The main color of the wings is white, with a gray stripe running along the outer edge. There are black spots on the upper pair of wings, and red spots with a white center on the lower ones. Caterpillars develop on sedums.
Apollo
Interesting fact. The disturbed butterfly falls on its back, scrapes its legs and makes a hissing sound.
Swallowtail
Papiliomachaon is the most common species of sailboat in the European part of the Russian Federation. The wingspan of males is up to 80 mm, in females - up to 95 mm. On a bright yellow background, the forewings are covered with a pattern of black spots and veins. Along the edge there is a black border with light dots. The color of the hind wings is characterized by blue and yellow blotches, as well as a red eye at the inner corner. Subspecies of swallowtail live in the south of Siberia, the Amur region, Sakhalin, and Japan. In northern Europe, one generation appears per year, and in Africa - three. The lifespan of the imago is about 3 weeks.
Swallowtail
The caterpillar is green with black stripes and orange spots. Forage plants: hogweed, parsley, dill, celery.
Rumyantsev's sailboat
The butterfly was discovered by the Russian naturalist I. Eschscholz. Its name is dedicated to Count Rumyantsev, who financed the scientific expedition. The habitats of the Rumyantsev swallowtail butterfly are the Philippines, Java, Indonesia, Borneo. The wingspan of the butterfly is 12-14 cm. The forewings of males are black with silver-gray scales along the veins. The hind wings have a blue-gray coating. A garland of bright pink or yellow spots runs along the bottom edge. Females are much more attractive; the black background of the wings is diluted by crimson areas at the base. In many specimens, the inside of the hind wings is white with black veins and pink spots along the bottom. Caterpillars feed on perennial plants of the genus Kirkazon.
Sailboat Rumyantsev
The Papiliopalinurus butterfly or palinur swallowtail lives in the tropics - Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia. They are called emerald princesses for their bright green color. The size of the insect is 8-10 cm. The wings are black, but some of the scales are green. There are wide oblique stripes of light green color running down the middle. The tails on the hind wings are widened. The underside of the wings has a contrasting gray-brown color. The larvae feed on citrus fruits.
Butterfly palinure
Maak's Tailbearer
The Maak's swallowtail is the largest butterfly in Russia among lepidopterans active during the daytime. The species owes its name to the Russian naturalist, explorer of the Siberian expanses Richard Karlovich Maak. The wingspan of the imago is 12-14 cm. Their color appears blue-green. For its rare shade and red spots at the end of the hind wings, the insect was nicknamed the blue swallowtail. The front wings consist of black and green scales. Along the edge there is a wide, vague transverse stripe of a light green hue. The hind wings are green with a blue tint and black bands.
Sailboat Maak
The color of the female Maaka tail butterfly is varied; it is difficult to find two identical specimens. Usually the forewings are black or brown, without green scales. On the hind wings at the outer edge there are pronounced red spots. Insects live in Transbaikalia, the Amur region, Sakhalin, Central Asia, Japan, and South Korea. They live in broad-leaved and mixed forests. Males gather in groups of several dozen individuals on wet river banks. Females keep to themselves. Forage plants are Amur and Sakhalin velvet. Disturbed caterpillars push out the odorous gland osmetria from behind their heads. The butterfly is listed in the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region.
Tailworm caterpillar
An interesting fact is that the Maaka swallowtail butterfly produces two generations per year; adults born in summer are 1.5 times larger than their spring relatives and have a darker color.
The sercinmontela butterfly is the only representative of the genus Sericinus. It lives in the Primorsky Territory, China and the Korean Peninsula. The male's wings are white; on the front, the pattern consists of black spots and darkening in the upper part. At the end of the hind wings there is a large red spot with a brown border. The tails are noticeably elongated. Females have brown wings with yellow wavy bands. The edges of the hind wings are covered with red and blue spots. Butterfly size is 65-70 mm. Females fly poorly and spend a lot of time in the grass. Forage plant kirkazon. The species is listed in the Red Book of Russia, the limiting factor is the destruction of the food supply.
Sercinmontela
Sailboat Ulysses
The Ulysses swallowtail butterfly lives in tropical rainforests and hills up to 800 km away. It is found in northern Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Females are shy and more active in the afternoon. Males gather near bodies of water and replenish mineral reserves by sucking water from wet soil. The background color of the wings is black. The area from the base almost to the edge of the wings is occupied by blue or blue fields. The tails of the hind wings are widened at the edges. Protective coloring on the underside of the wings in brown shades. The marginal buffy spots on the hind wings are emphasized by a light border. The caterpillars' food plants belong to the Rutaceae family.
Sailboat of Ulysses
Interesting fact. Male swallowtails of Ulysses actively react to blue objects, mistaking them for females. Butterfly catchers use this, they wave the bait, then cover the flying sailfish with a net.
Sailboat Kotzebue
The butterfly owes its name to the commander of the Russian research vessel Rurik, Otto Kotzebue. The insect is found in the Philippines. There are 5 known subspecies of insects. The scientific name of the Kotzebue swallowtail butterfly is Pachliopta Kotzebua. Its wingspan reaches 13-15 cm. The body of the swallowtail is red with black spots. This is a warning signal to birds that the insect is poisonous. The main color of the velvety wings is black. In females, white transverse bands are observed. On the inside of the hind wings there is a scattering of red spots, reminiscent of a heart shape. In its homeland, the butterfly is called the “velvet scarlet rose.” The lifespan of the imago is 7 days.
Sailboat Kotzebue
Papilio Lowi
The Lovi swallowtail butterfly or Asian swallowtail butterfly lives in Borneo, the Philippines and Indonesia. The insect is named after the English naturalist Sir Hugh Lowe. The butterfly is a medium-sized species with a wingspan of 11-12 cm. The main color of the wings is black, interspersed with gray stripes on the front ones. There are red areas at the base of the wings. The color of females includes beige, orange and purple tones. They sit on flowers with their wings spread, showing the world their beauty.
Papilio Lowi
Caterpillars of this species feed on citrus plants of the rue family. The lifespan of the imago is one week. Often he buys beautiful butterflies to keep at home; with good care, Lovi's swallowtail lives for 2-4 weeks. They feed on orange juice and a 10% solution of natural honey.
