Glossary of Butterfly Terms

Chrysalis
Danaidae
Heliconiidae
Lepidoptera
Morphidae
Nymphalidae
Papilionidae
Saturniidae

Chrysalis (kris´a-lis)

Chrysalis is a term used to describe the form that butterflies and moths assume between the caterpillar stage and their final winged stage. The term Pupa is also commonly used and is synonymous to chrysalis. The term cocoon is often used synonymously with chrysalis, but this isn't exactly correct because a cocoon, by definition, must be spun of silk while a chrysalis needn't be. Most butterfly chrysalis are actually made from the caterpillars skin while most moth chrysalis are truly spun from silk and, therefor, are also considered cocoons. Clear as mud?

Danaidae

The Danaidae family is made up of approximately 300 species. As well known migrants they can be found worldwide, starting from their home in America they have spread to Hawaii, Indonesia, Australia, the Canary Islands and lately to some Mediterranean countries. Most have a slow and lazy flight and are among the most conspicuous butterflies in warm, low-lying areas. All species of this family are toxic and their bright colours convey that to their predators. Many species are mimicked by a variety of non-poisonous butterflies. The eggs have a flattened dome shape and prominent ribbing. The larvae are smooth and generally have brilliant body striping with two to four pairs of tubercles, which give them a very aggressive appearance. The pupae are suspended head down from a silk pad and have a squat, rounded shape. There are usually flecks of brilliant gold or silver spots on the chrysalis, again to ward off predators. The larvae eat Asclepiadaceae and Apocynaceae, which give them their toxic body fluids.

Heliconiidae

The Heliconiidae family is made up of approximately 70 species. They are confined to the South Americas, apart from a few species that can be found in the southern states of the United States. The adults are generally slow and lazy fliers. Characteristically they have a narrow wing shape, a thin elongated abdomen and usually long antennae. They range in size from 60-100 mm. Their bright colours and blends of black, orange, red, yellow and blue warn predators of the obnoxious taste they will encounter if they attempt to eat them. The eggs are laid singly and have a bottle shape appearance. The larvae feed on Passiflora, which is what gives them their obnoxious taste. The pupae are humpbacked with lots of spines and are suspended head down from the stems of the larval food plant.

Lepidoptera (lep-i-dop´têr-a)

Lepidoptera is the scientific name for an order of insects that we commonly call butterflies and moths. Like all insects, lepidoptera have a head, thorax, abdomen, two antennae, and six legs. Additionally, lepidoptera have four wings that are almost always covered by coloured scales. Derived from the Greek words “Lepido” meaning scale and “Ptera” meaning wing, lepidoptera basically means "scaled-wing.".

Morphidae

Morpho means beautiful or shapely and certainly describes the small number of members in this family. There are about 80 species, all of which are confined to the South Americas or the Neotropical Zone. The smallest species has a 75mm wingspan, while the largest can have up to a 150mm wingspan, making them the largest among the South American butterflies. With their large wings and relatively small bodies it gives them an effortless soaring flight. Not all species have metallic blue shades and in some species the colour is confined to the males. All Morphidae species have one thing in common and that is the “ocelli” or eyespots on the underside of their wings to scare off predators. The eggs are hemispherical and the larvae have projecting wing cases and small head processes and are normally suspended. The larvae feed on a variety of climbing plants particularly Leguminosae, while the adult eats rotted fruits.

Nymphalidae

The Nymphalidae family is one of the largest with over several thousand species represented all over the world. The smallest species have a 25mm wingspan while the largest in this family having a wingspan of up to 130mm. The extensive range of brilliant colours, wing shapes and patterns that can be found in this family are impressive. Their eggs come in a variety of shapes but generally they are wider than they are higher. The surface is generally ribbed and sometimes is extended into points.

Papilionidae

The Papilionidae family has over 700 species distributed all over the world. This family includes some of the largest butterflies in the world with wingspans reaching 25cm or more, they also have some of the smallest attaining a wingspan of less than25mm. Most of these family are strong fliers. The eggs are usually spherical shaped. The larvae have a strong smelling forked horn, generally brightly coloured that can be erected just behind the head to scare off and warn predators. The pupae are angular with two projecting points at the head end and are usually formed upright within a silken girth.

Saturniidae

The Saturniidae family has over 1,000 species and includes many of the worlds largest and most spectacular moths. They have wingspans that can reach 16cm. Generally they are nocturnal which means that they only fly at night. Many species have well developed eyespots or transparent panels on their wings. A few of this family have long tails on the hind wings. When the caterpillars are ready to pupate they spin a cocoon to protect themselves.