Abdomen - The last (3^rd) major section of an insect’s body; contains the reproductive and digestive organs.

Apex - At the tip of the wing (usually refers to the forewing).

Basal – Pertaining to the base of the point nearest the main body.

Aberration (aberrant) – Differing from the normal; an individual animal that is strikingly different in appearance or structure from the norm.

Anal margin – The area of a butterfly’s hindwing along the inner margin adjectant to the body.

Androconia – Specialized scent scales, found in patches or along veins of some male butterflies; they release pheromones (chemical sex attractants).

Antennae – Paired, segmented appendages originating from the head of the insects.

Bait – A mixture of ingredients such as beer, apple cider, molasses, brown sugar, and rotting fruit, used to attract butterflies and moths.

Caterpillar – The larva; growing stage of the butterfly.

Chrysalis – A stage in the life cycle of a butterfly, sometimes called a pupa.

Costal fold – A flap on the front margin of a butterfly’s wing that contains scent scales in some butterflies.

Cremaster – The hooklike organ at the anal end of the chrysalis, used as a point of attatchment to the substrate.

Dimorphism – Having two forms within the same species; may be seasonal or sexual.

Diurnal – Active during the day; opposite of nocturnal.

Emigration – a one–way outward movement from an area of residensy.

Endemic – Native or confined to a certain region.

Exotic – Introduced to a certain region.

Form – A variant from the normal morph of taxon.

Head  - The first section of an insect body; bearing the eyes, mouth parts, and antennae.

Hibernaculum – A rolled leaf secured by silken threads in which a butterfly chrysalis passes the winter.

Hill-Topping – the congregation of butterflies, primarily males, on hilltops or other elevated areas. This behavior is assumed to be associated  with mate location.

Holotype – The individual specimen upon which the original description of a species or subspecies is based.

Host, host plant – A plant species on which the eggs are laid on or near and subsequently eaten by the caterpillar.

Immigrant – A species that normally breeds outside the region, but regularly or irregularly establishes breeding populations within another region. These populations  usually do not survive the winter.

Larva (ae) – Caterpillar; the immature stage, which hatches from the egg, in the life cycle of advanced insects.

Local – Found in small colonies or restricted to a very specific habitat.

Lunule – A crescent or new-moon shaped spot on the wing.

Margin – Along the outer edge of the wing.

Marsh – A wetland with standing water, grasses, rushes, or sedges.

Met·a·mor·pho·sis   (m t -môr f -s s) n. pl. met·a·mor·pho·ses (-s z )

1. A transformation, as by magic or sorcery.

2. A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.

3. Biology. A change in the form and often habits of an animal during normal development after the embryonic stage. Metamorphosis includes, in insects, the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and a caterpillar into a butterfly and, in amphibians, the changing of a tadpole into a frog.

4. Pathology. A usually degenerative change in the structure of a particular body tissue.

Migrant – A butterfly that makes regular long-distance flights.

Migration – A directed movement of adults to another region; usually seasonal.

Mimicry – An adaptation through which one species, the mimic, gains protection from predators by its resemblance to an inedible or distasteful species, the model.

Nectar – A solution produced by flowers, generally containing sugar and amino acids, to attract insects.

Nominate subspecies – The typical subspecies, having the same name as the species; i.e., the first recognized population of that species.

Overscaling – Scales that lie over the basic ground color of the wings.

Overwinter – Hibernate; to pass all or part of the winter in a dormant state.

Oviposit –To lay one or more eggs.

Oviposition – The act of laying an egg (s).

Palpi – A pair of segmented appendages projecting in front of the butterfly’s head; used for smelling and cleaning.

Patrolling – A mate-location behavior in which the male flies within a specific habitat in search of a receptive female.

Perching – A mate-location behavior in which the male perches on an object to await a receptive mate.

Proboscis – The external coiled feeding tube or “tongue” of an adult butterfly or moth.

Pupa (ae) – The chrysalis of a butterfly; the inactive life stage between the caterpillar and the adult, in which the structure of the butterfly is reorganized.

Resident – A species that reproduces annually in South Dakota and persists as some life stage continuously through the year.

Riparian – Pertaining to or living along a stream or river.

Scales – Flat hairs covering the wings of butterflies and moths.

Species – A distinct group of  potentially inter breeding organisms that is separated from all other groups.

Stigma – A patch of specialized scent scales (androconia) located on the forewing of some male butterflies, especially those of skippers and hairstreaks.

Stray – A species that breeds outside the state, but sporadically wanders into South Dakota.

Submarginal – The area of the wing just inside the margin.

Subspecies – A stable, geographically or topographically isolated variety of a species.

Thorax – The middle (2^nd) major section of an insect’s body , to which the wings and legs are attached.

Type locality (TL) – The locality where the holotype of a species or subspecies was collected.

Ultraviolet – A range of light with a wavelengh  shorter than violet; visible to butterflies; but not to humans.

Vain – Any of the tubular struts of the wings.

Wingspan – The width of a mounted (spread) butterfly; measured from tip to tip of the forewing.