Subclass Pterygota:
Pterous (winged) insects, develop by metamorphosis
Division Endopterygota
(endo = inner; pteron = wing)
Mecopteroid orders
(mecos = length; pteron = wing)
Order Lepidoptera
(lepidos = scal; pteron wing)
COMMON NAMES: butterflies and moths
QUICK DESCRIPTION: Butterflies and moths have bodies and wings that are covered in scales. Butterflies are usually the most brightly coloured and fly during the day, while most moths have dull colours and fly at night. Their mouthparts are usually long coiled tubes which they push into flowers or trees and use as a straw to suck up nectar and sap. The young hatch from eggs, and go through a larval (caterpillar) stage, before pupating and turning into adults. (The Webbing Clothes Moth is Bug-of-the-Month for March, and the Painted Lady Butterfly is Bug-of-the-Month for June.)
MINUTE DETAILS: Insects whose body and appendages are covered with scales; head with large compound eyes and mouthparts in form of suctorial proboscis; prothorax in most species reduced, two pairs of membranous wings present in almost all species with few crossveins: posterior abdominal segments much modified in connection with reproduction, cerci absent.
Larvae have well-developed head, mandibulate mouthparts and zero to eleven (usually eight) pairs of legs.
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