Moths - how good they are! They flutter through the flowers - cute, fluffy... Stop! They are all wonderful, but their caterpillars! Among the so-called "moths" there are very dangerous pests - cutworms. There are several types of them. The most “famous” is the cabbage cutworm (Mamestra brassicae), there is also the raspberry cutworm, the gamma cutworm, and even the warlike cutworm (Eupsilia transversa). It is their caterpillars that damage the leaves of cabbage and many other plants.
WHO ARE SCOWS?
Owls are a large family of twilight and nocturnal butterflies of medium and large size (wingspan - 28-50 mm). The color is usually protective, gray-brown. Only some representatives have bright light stripes on the upper wings. The body of butterflies is plump and fluffy - those same cute moths. They feed on the nectar of flowers; in general, they are “harmless” creatures. Only their larvae harm.
The "harmlessness" of moths is deceptive. Females lay eggs on the underside of the leaf, and cabbage cutworm fertility reaches 1,500 eggs!
Larvae (caterpillars) up to 50 mm long. Depending on the species, they may be bare or covered with hairs. Color - gray, green, brown, often with a pattern of spots or stripes. Probably everyone has seen similar caterpillars on cabbage leaves.
Openwork holes on the leaves are not so bad. The most important thing is that the heads of cabbage are then poorly stored. In places of damage and accumulation of excrement, rot begins, which can destroy up to half the crop!
Most cutworm species are polyphagous. In addition to cabbage, they damage herbaceous plants and shrubs, including: phlox, gladioli, sedum, loosestrife, pepper, gooseberry, raspberry, currant, apple tree, plum, etc. The caterpillars roughly gnaw leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits, gnawing there are large holes in them. They feed mainly at night. During the day they hide in the soil or on the bottom of plants. They pupate in the ground at a depth of 5-10 cm. The pupa is brown, 20-40 mm long.
While the moths are flying, the gardener does not feel any danger. Butterflies are a natural addition to the summer garden. And only when the caterpillars appeared did the harvest sound the alarm! But we should have realized it much earlier!
WHAT TO DO?
First of all, prepare in ADVANCE for a butterfly invasion (this is advice for the next season). Make more active use of light and pheromone traps and sweet fermented compote against them (together with codling moths, cutworms also get into it).
The flight of butterflies is observed in the evening and at night, from the second half of June to the second half of August. It is during this period that measures must be taken.
The harmfulness of the caterpillars is enhanced by the fact that they gnaw deep holes in heads of cabbage, fruits and buds. Thus, they nullify all the efforts of the gardener, since a beautiful rose blooms with ugly petals, and “wormy” tomatoes cannot be used as food.
Moreover, inside the fruit or flower, the caterpillars become inaccessible to drugs and feed on them until adulthood. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the appearance of pests and try to destroy their eggs or younger caterpillars.
Lepidocide is effective against young free-living caterpillars. This is a biological insecticidal preparation.
It is also used for protection against silkworms, nuns, moths, leaf rollers, meadow moths, cabbage and turnip moths, hawthorn, moths, etc. Approved for use in gardens and personal plots.
Unlike chemical insecticides, lepidocide has a selective effect - it affects only susceptible insects. They do not have an addictive effect, so the dose rate of the drug remains unchanged. The drug is safe for humans, animals and environment. In addition, lepidocide does not accumulate in plants or soil and has absolutely no effect on the taste and color of fruits.
The butterfly belongs to the class insects, phylum arthropods, order Lepidoptera (lat. Lepidoptera).
The Russian name “butterfly” comes from the Old Slavonic word “babъka”, which denoted the concept of “old woman” or “grandmother”. In the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, it was believed that these were the souls of the dead, so people treated them with respect.
Butterfly: description and photo. The structure and appearance of butterflies
The structure of the butterfly has two main sections - the body, protected by a hard chitinous shell, and the wings.
A butterfly is an insect whose body consists of:
- Head, inactively connected to the chest. The butterfly's head has a round shape with a slightly flattened occipital part. Round or oval convex eyes of a butterfly in the form of hemispheres, occupying most of lateral surface of the head, have a complex facet structure. Butterflies have color vision and perceive moving objects better than stationary ones. In many species, additional simple parietal eyes are located behind the antennae. The structure of the oral apparatus depends on the species and can be of the sucking or gnawing type.
- Breasts with a three-segment structure. The front part is significantly smaller than the middle and back part, where three pairs of legs are located, which have a structure characteristic of insects. On the shins of the butterfly's front legs there are spurs designed to maintain the hygiene of the antennae.
- The abdomen has the shape of an elongated cylinder, consisting of ten ring-shaped segments with spiracles located on them.
Butterfly structure
The antennae of the butterfly are located on the border of the parietal and frontal parts of the head. They help butterflies navigate their surroundings by sensing air vibrations and various odors.
The length and structure of the antennae depend on the species.
Two pairs of butterfly wings, covered with flat scales of different shapes, have a membranous structure and are penetrated by transverse and longitudinal veins. The size of the hind wings can be the same as the front wings or significantly smaller than them. The pattern of butterfly wings varies from species to species and captivates with its beauty.
In macro photography, the scales on the wings of butterflies are very clearly visible - they can have completely different shapes and color.
Butterfly wings – macro photography
The appearance and color of the butterfly’s wings serve not only for intraspecific sexual recognition, but also act as protective camouflage, allowing it to blend into its surroundings. Therefore, colors can be either monochrome or variegated with a complex pattern.
The size of a butterfly, or better said, the wingspan of a butterfly, can range from 2 mm to 31 cm.
Classification and types of butterflies
The large order of Lepidoptera includes more than 158 thousand representatives. There are several classification systems for butterflies, quite complex and confusing, with constant changes occurring in them. The most successful scheme is considered to be one that divides this detachment into four suborders:
1) Primary toothed moths. These are small butterflies, the wingspan of which ranges from 4 to 15 mm, with a gnawing type mouthparts and antennae that reach a length of up to 75% of the size of the front wings. The family consists of 160 species of butterflies.
Typical representatives are:
- golden smallwing (lat. Micropteryx calthella);
- marigold smallwing (lat. Micropteryx calthella).
2) Proboscis butterflies. The wingspan of these insects, covered with dark small scales with cream or black spots, does not exceed 25 mm. Until 1967, they were classified as primary toothed moths, with which this family has much in common.
The most famous butterflies from this suborder:
- flour fire (lat. Asopia farinalis L.),
- spruce cone moth (lat. Dioryctrica abieteila).
3) Heterobathmyas, represented by one family Heterobathmiidae.
4) Proboscis butterflies, which make up the largest suborder, consisting of several dozen families, which include more than 150 thousand species of butterflies. The appearance and size of representatives of this suborder are very diverse. Below are several families demonstrating the diversity of proboscis butterflies.
- Family Sailboats, represented by the average and large butterflies with a wingspan from 50 to 280 mm. The pattern on the wings of butterflies consists of black, red or blue spots of various shapes, clearly visible on a white or yellow background. The most famous of them are:
- Swallowtail butterfly;
- Sailboat "Glory of Bhutan";
- Queen Alexandra's Birdwing and others.
Swallowtail butterfly
- Family Nymphalidae, characteristic feature which is the absence of thickened veins on wide angular wings with variegated colors and various patterns. The wingspan of butterflies varies from 50 to 130 mm. Representatives of this family are:
- Butterfly Admiral;
- Day peacock butterfly;
- Butterfly hives;
- Mourning butterfly, etc.
Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)
Day peacock butterfly
Urticaria butterfly (Aglais urticae)
Mourning butterfly
- , represented by moths with narrow wings, the span of which does not exceed 13 cm and has a characteristic pattern. The abdomen of these insects is thickened and fusiform. The most famous butterflies of this family:
- Hawkmoth "death's head";
- Hawkmoth oleander;
- Poplar hawk moth.
- Scoop Family, which includes more than 35,000 species of moths. The span of the furry wings, gray with a metallic tint, averages 35 mm. However, in South America There is a species of butterfly called tizania agrippina with a wingspan of 31 cm or the peacock-eye atlas, the size of which resembles a medium-sized bird.
Where do butterflies live in nature?
The distribution area of butterflies around the planet is very wide. It does not include only the icy expanses of Antarctica. Butterflies live everywhere from North America and Greenland to the coast of Australia and the island of Tasmania. Largest quantity species were found in Peru and India. These fluttering insects make their flights not only in flowering valleys, but also high in the mountains.
What do butterflies eat?
The diet of many butterflies consists of pollen and nectar flowering plants. Many species of butterflies feed on tree sap, overripe and rotting fruit. And the death's head hawk moth is a real gourmet, because it often flies into hives and feasts on the honey they collect.
Some nymphalid butterflies need various microelements and additional moisture. Their sources are excrement, urine and sweat of large animals, wet clay, and human sweat.
.Such butterflies include the Madagascar comet, whose wingspan is 14-16 cm. The lifespan of this butterfly is 2-3 days.
There are also “vampires” among butterflies. For example, males of some cutworm species maintain their strength thanks to the blood and tear fluid of animals. This is the vampire butterfly (lat. Calyptra).
Body structure, wings, organs of vision, hearing and smell in butterflies...
A group of families of the order of moths, or as they are called - lepidoptera, are the second species in the class of butterflies. Most nocturnal butterflies, as their name suggests, are active at dusk or at night. Among other things, nocturnal butterflies differ from daytime butterflies not only in their temporary activity, but also in their structural features, because the body and wings of moths are thicker, and the color of the wings is duller and relatively monochromatic.
The antennae (antennae) of nocturnal butterflies are most often feathery or thread-like, and they are called multi-whiskered, while in daytime butterflies their antennae are club-shaped, and therefore, butterflies of the day group are also called club-whiskered.
Life cycle of night and day butterflies - from caterpillar to butterfly
Moths can lay eggs either singly or in groups. Female moths can lay eggs even on the fly, introduce them into plant tissue, or place them on pre-selected, various objects. At the first stage, from the eggs of moths, worm-like larvae appear in the form of caterpillars. They have a separate and hard head, and the chest is smaller than that of daytime ones, and they have three pairs of jointed legs with a terminal claw and an abdomen.
On the abdomen, as a rule, there are five pairs of false legs, the last pair of legs is located at the very end of the moth’s body. The false legs of all types of butterflies end in several bristles.
After several molts, the caterpillars of future moths turn into pupae, which in most of them are located in a silk cocoon woven by the larva. After a certain period of time, which depends on the species of moths and external conditions, an adult emerges from the pupa moth
The structure of night and day butterflies
For the most part, moths are very similar in appearance to each other, and their body consists of a head, chest and abdomen. The rather small head of the moth bears a pair of compound eyes and two clearly visible antennae. Most nocturnal butterfly species have two pairs of wings on their chests, and their bodies are covered with thick hairs and scales.
The mouth of moths looks like this - their proboscis, which folds into a flat spiral, is considered one of the most specialized mouths in the class of insects. When the moth is not feeding, its mouth is usually hidden under thick scales and is not visible. The unfolded proboscis of moths is well adapted for feeding; they use it to suck up liquid food, and with its base the proboscis opens directly into the butterfly’s throat.
Some species, as a rule, are the most primitive representatives of the nocturnal order of butterflies; in their adult state they have gnawing jaws, which are more characteristic of caterpillars and other groups of insects. site/node/2892
About butterfly wings and their structure
Typical moths, like the others, have two pairs of well-developed wings, which are densely covered with scales and hairs. However, the structure of the wings of butterflies is very diverse: in some species, they may be almost completely absent.
Butterfly wings - can be wide or narrow planes, which are almost linear structures. This is why the ability differs different types butterflies for flight.
In a number of moths, scales and hairs on the plane of the wings are practically absent, although this does not affect their ability to fly well. Their wings are narrow, and they do not need additional mechanical support, in the form of scaly cover.
In some species, rather small moths, the wings are so narrow that, most likely, they could not provide the butterfly with lifting force if not for the long bordering hairs on their wings. These hairs are located so densely on the wings of the butterfly that they significantly increase the area of contact of the wings with the air, i.e. - its supporting surfaces.
Butterflies' sensory organs include smell, hearing and vision.
Nocturnal and diurnal butterflies have special sensory structures on various parts of their body, such as the organs of smell, hearing and vision.
Olfactory organs in butterflies - these organs are located on its antennae (antennae), in most moths, they are outgrowths, pineal or wedge-shaped with thin walls. They are supplied by a group of special sensory cells, which are usually located in the deeper layers of the cuticle, and are interconnected by branches of sensory nerves.
Speaking of smell, in many species of moths it is most likely very subtle; it has not been proven, but it is assumed that it is thanks to the sense of smell that butterflies find sources of food, just like representatives of the opposite sex.
Hearing organs in butterflies - all daytime butterflies lack tympanic hearing organs, but some nocturnal butterflies have them. These mechanical receptors are located in butterflies in the lateral recesses, on its posterior chest, as well as in the first segments of the abdomen. In turn, these recesses are covered with a thin membrane, and under it is the tracheal cavity.
How does a butterfly hear - spreading in the air sound waves activate the membrane, causing it to vibrate. In turn, vibration stimulates the excitation of sensory cells, which then transmit a signal to the branches of the sensory nerves.
The organs of vision in butterflies are their eyes.
As we said above, the main organs of vision in butterflies are its two large compound eyes, which in many of them occupy almost the entire upper part of the butterfly’s head. Such large eyes of a butterfly, characteristic of many other species of insects, consist of many elements of the same size and independent of each other, the so-called ommatidia. Each eye of a butterfly is a simple eye with a lens, containing a light-sensitive retina and nerve endings (innervation). site/node/2892
Judging by the behavior of butterflies, both diurnal and nocturnal, their visual acuity, like that of many other insects, is good only at close range, but they apparently see distant objects, but rather vaguely.
On the other hand, thanks to the independent work of many ommatidia, objects caught in motion in their field of vision are perceived by them, most likely, on an enlarged scale, because they cause the excitation of hundreds, and maybe thousands of receptor nerve cells of the butterfly. Therefore, we can conclude that the eyes of butterflies are primarily intended for recording movements.
In conclusion, let's remember butterflies as insects
Butterflies, or as they are also called - Lepidoptera , like moths, moths, belong to the order of insects with a complete cycle of transformation. The most characteristic feature of representatives of this class of insects is the presence of a thick cover of chitinous scales on the front and hind wings.
These scales are located in butterflies, on the veins, on the wings and on the plate between them. Most species of butterflies are characterized by a specialized oral apparatus with a proboscis that sucks food, formed by the elongated lobes of the lower jaw of the butterfly. The shape and wingspan of butterflies is very diverse, starting from 2 mm and ending with a size of 28 centimeters.
Lepidoptera are the fossil remains of butterflies, known since the Jurassic period; today butterflies are one of the most common types of insects - there are more than 157,000 species. Representatives of butterflies live everywhere, on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.
Butterflies - structure, wings, organs of vision, smell, hearing...
A moth is a small lepidopteran butterfly that is nocturnal. The easiest way to distinguish moths from other lepidopterans is to pay attention to the position of their wings when the insect is at rest. Butterflies fold their wings and keep them folded behind their backs, while moths spread their wings and keep them open. Moths are nocturnal butterflies, their main activity time is evening and night
Moths always strive to fly towards the light. Scientists have not yet been able to explain why this happens. But they always try to keep their body parallel to the rays of light. An ordinary light bulb produces rays radially, which is why moths fly around them all the time.
The protective coloring of moths is located on the outside of the wings; this also determines the fact that these butterflies usually straighten their wings: this is how camouflage works better. Although hobbyists enjoy feasting on these nocturnal insects, protective coloring does not help much.
A butterfly can also be distinguished from a moth by its denser and hairier body and the structure of its antennae. In daytime butterflies they are thin, with a thickening at the end, while in moths, on the contrary, the antennae are either straight or have a thick covering of hairs. Thanks to their antennae, lepidopterans can perceive the world around them, but without them they actually go blind.
It is believed that moths are much less beautiful than butterflies. And in most cases this is true. But there are species of moths that have very attractive and bright colors. True, some of the beautiful moths are also poisonous. The bright color helps scare away predators. For example, the Atlas Peacock-Eye moth has a very bright color and a bizarre wing shape. There are many more different subspecies of moths known to scientists than there are ordinary butterflies.
Moths reproduce using eggs. They can come in a wide variety of shades and shapes. These characteristics depend on the species of butterfly that laid them. Mating can occur both during flight and at rest. The female usually lays her eggs close to the food so that the hatched larvae have something to eat. After the clutch is laid, the female flies away. After some time, each egg will hatch into a caterpillar. The caterpillar is the first stage of moth metamorphosis.
Butterfly larvae do nothing but consume food. Some do this all the time, others only at night. As for the diet, basically any type of leaves is suitable for caterpillars to eat, but there are also more fastidious individuals that feed only on the leaves of certain plants.
Moths feed using their proboscis. But some individuals do not have it, because the caterpillar has accumulated a supply of nutrients, and it is enough for the butterfly to live out its short life.
There are caterpillars that are densely covered with hair, and those that are completely devoid of it. Hairy caterpillars should be handled carefully - sometimes they secrete a special protective liquid that can severely burn your hand. Moreover, liquid can be released even if the caterpillar has already died.
Caterpillars have sharp mandibles, excellent for holding and processing food. Thanks to the segmental structure of the body and growths, also called pseudopods, the caterpillar can move. The pseudopods have special suction cups and hooks that allow the butterfly larvae to move along both vertical and some horizontal surfaces. If suddenly the caterpillar cannot stay at a height, then it will not fall to the ground thanks to a special saliva-web, on which it will hang if it falls and will be able to climb back.
Each caterpillar has to go through a complex process - pupation. This is the second stage of metamorphosis. In different species, the pupation process occurs in different places: on trees, bark or foliage, on the surface or underground. During the process of pupation, global changes in body structure occur. And if the caterpillar moved and ate almost all its life, then the pupa is motionless.
For the complete transformation process in the cocoon, different types of butterflies require different amounts of time. After the pupation process, the insect begins to produce special secretions that help it get out of the shell. This stage is called "imago". After birth, the butterfly cannot immediately fly into the air, so it is very vulnerable to various types of predators. Only camouflage color can save her.
The moth will be able to fly only after its wings, very crumpled and tender after leaving the cocoon, are saturated with liquid from the moth’s body. Only then will they straighten out and the moth will be able to fly. While this process is happening, the insect is busy removing from its body those substances that were not removed along with the cocoon.
The night butterfly insect is a representative of a group of families of the order butterflies (Lepidoptera), which ranks second in the number of species of the insect class. In addition to its nocturnal lifestyle, it is distinguished from the diurnal butterfly by some biological features.
Insect structure
The external characteristics of the adults of most moths are very similar. The body of an adult has three sections - head, abdomen and chest. The small head has compound eyes and clearly visible antennae. Many representatives of this species have two pairs of wings on their chests, and scales and dense hairs on their bodies. The insect's mouthparts are a proboscis that curls into a flat spiral. When inactive, it is usually hidden by a thick coat of scales.
The proboscis, when expanded, copes well with the absorption of liquid food, opening with its base directly into the pharynx. Non-feeding adults with rudiments of oral apparatus can be found very rarely. The most primitive adults of this order have gnawing jaws, which are endowed with the caterpillars of other insect species.
Usually moths have two pairs of wings. In most cases they are well developed, but their structure differs in some species. There are butterflies in which they are practically absent. The wings look like wide or narrow planes, which affects the ability of different species to fly. There are moths with a lack of hairs and scales on the surface of the wings. But this does not affect the ability to fly well. Their wings are narrow, and they do not need additional support, which could be a scaly cover. 
Nutritional Features
When the protein reserves accumulated during the caterpillar stage are depleted, the butterfly loses the ability to reproduce. This forces her to consume liquid food using her proboscis. Its structure allows insects to easily get nectar from flowers and suck out the juice that is secreted by damaged fruits and tree trunks.
Usually the proboscis has dimensions suitable for the depth of the flower, the nectar of which the butterfly feeds on. It is worth noting that all types of insects have different lengths and shapes of the proboscis. It depends on the taste preferences of the butterflies. Some of them feed exclusively on the juice of fruits or plants, others consume the sweet secretions of aphids. Some adult butterflies do not feed at all, so their proboscis is underdeveloped or completely absent.
Reproduction process
Butterflies have the ability to find mates over long distances. The male can sense the female at a distance of several kilometers. This is explained by the fact that the female produces specific substances that the male is able to catch with his antennae. Some females have the ability to produce an ultrasonic signal, which can also be sensed by males at great distances. 
In the breeding of butterflies important role devoted to the shape and color of the wings, as well as to complex forms of courtship - dancing and mating flights. Some species exhibit sexual dimorphism. It is important for a normal sexual cycle, since it is easy to identify a marriage partner based on external differences. In addition, pheromones secreted by insects make it easier to find a partner.
Mating itself takes place on the ground or the surface of a plant. Its duration can vary - from 15 minutes to 1-2 hours. During mating, individuals are motionless. In addition to sperm, the female receives from the male some trace elements and proteins that are necessary for the formation of eggs.
Main types
There are about 100 families in the order Lepidoptera. The most common types of moths are:
- Glass flies, which are distinguished by scaleless transparent wings. A bit like bees.
- Moths, most of which are pests. These are small insects. At rest, their wings are folded into a triangle.
- Hawkmoths are large species. In my own way appearance resemble hummingbirds.
- Moths are characterized by wide wings and small, slender shapes. Their caterpillars “walk” vertically, bending in the form of a loop.
- Dippers are medium-sized, hairy butterflies with brightly colored wings.
- Cutworms are inconspicuous insects with thread-shaped antennae and gray or brown wings.
