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Start learning about butterflies by clicking on the numbers next to the different parts of a butterfly below to see the description. You may also click the "next" link to go through each of the butterflies parts in order.
A butterfly has four wings that enable it to fly. The top and the bottom of the wings are colored differently.
If you have a closer look at the wings, they look dusty because they are covered with tiny scales of different colors.
The scales and the whole surface of the body are covered with a wax layer that protects the butterfly from water.
Small sense organs for smelling are scattered over the surface of the antenna. Some moths can "smell" a female a few miles away! The females send out a fragrance to attract males in order to mate.
The antenna also helps the butterfly's sense of balance.
The proboscis is a kind of "straw".
When the butterfly is not using the proboscis, it is rolled up. To use it the butterfly straightens it and puts it in the blossom where the nectar is.
Like all insects, a butterfly has six legs that are divided in several parts as you can see in the picture.
The eye consists of many simple "eyes" so the butterfly sees everything as a mass of tiny pictures. It can't see very clearly and does not see some of the colors we see. But it sees ultra-violet patterns which are invisible for us.
Butterflies can look in all directions and notice moving objects quite easily.
Insects don't have bones inside their body like you, their skeleton is a hard case outside. If you touch a beetle, it feels hard outside. But inside there is nothing hard at all.
Several butterflies have a kind of ear on their Thorax (like the thympanic membrane in our ears). These "ears" are important to hear the very high frequency sounds of bats. Bats are dangerous predators for butterflies. When they hear sounds of a bat, butterflies start a zigzag flight to escape.
The legs and wings are connected to the Thorax.
On the structured Abdomen you can see the holes for breathing.
The sexual organs are also located on the Abdomen.
Many butterflies and moths taste with their feet. So they know at once if the leaf they sit on is edible for their caterpillars or not.
On the first pair of feet there is a kind of brush. This helps the butterfly to clean its antennae.
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