10 Beautiful Facts About Butterflies That Will Amaze You

Adult butterflies usually have large and brightly colored wings and they feed mainly on nectar from flowers. Depending on the species, butterflies can survive from a week to nearly a year in their adult stage. If you love butterflies, you should know some unknown facts about this beautiful insect. 

A decline in the population of butterflies has been noticed in many places around the world. It has been determined that this collapse in the number of most species of butterflies is caused by global climate change. Here are 10 beautiful facts about butterflies that will amaze you. 

1. Butterflies Taste With Their Feet

Butterflies have senses of taste, smell, and touch and their taste receptors are actually located on their feet which help them to find their host plants and locate food. So, butterflies actually taste with their feet.

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facts about butterflies

2. Butterflies Are Everywhere

Antarctica is the only continent on our planet earth that has no butterflies.

3. Average Lifespan Of An Adult Butterfly

In most cases, the average lifespan of an adult butterfly is approximately three to four weeks. However, the entire life cycle of a butterfly can last anywhere between two to eight months.

Some of the smallest species of butterflies can only survive for a few days. But some migratory butterflies, like the North American Monarch, can survive for nearly eight to nine months.

4. Most Common Butterfly In The US

The Cabbage White species of butterfly is the most common or the most commonly found butterfly in the US.

5. Butterflies Need A High Body Temperature To Fly 

Butterflies actually need to maintain a high body temperature to fly around. They need an ideal body temperature of about 85 degrees Fahrenheit to fly. As they are cold-blooded animals, they can’t regulate their own body temperature.

Because of that, the surrounding air temperature has a significant impact on their ability to function. If the air temperature falls under 55 degrees Fahrenheit, butterflies are rendered completely immobile.

6. There Are A Lot Of Butterfly Species

There are over 17,500 recorded butterfly species around the world. Out of those, 750 species can be found in the United States.

7. Monarch Butterflies Travel More Than 2,500 Miles In The Winter Season

Monarch butterflies are the only insect in the whole world that travels more than 2,500 miles on average every winter season in order to survive the climate.

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8. Butterflies Live On An All-liquid Diet

Adult butterflies can only feed on liquids or they usually live on an all-liquid diet. It means that their source of food is exclusively liquid. They actually don’t have the necessary apparatus for chewing.

Their mouthparts are modified in such a manner that they are only able to drink, but they cannot chew solids. Butterflies drink using a long nose-like tube which is called a proboscis when they find a source of nectar or other liquid nutrition.

facts about butterflies

9. Wings Of Butterflies Are Transparent

The wings of butterflies are actually transparent and those wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales. And those colors we see are the effect of light reflecting in different colors on the tiny scales.

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10. Butterflies Have Been Impacted By Climate Changes

The North American Monarch is one of the species of butterflies which has been the most severely impacted by the recent climate changes.

These are 10 interesting and fun facts about butterflies. 

FAQ: 10 Interesting And Fun Facts About Butterflies

As most people love this beautiful insect, a lot of questions come to their minds related to butterflies. Here I have answered some of the most frequently asked questions.

Q1. How Long Does The Average Butterfly Live?

Ans: Average lifespan of an adult butterfly is around three to four weeks, however, some of the smallest species of butterflies usually survive for a few days.

Q2. Are Butterfly Wings Transparent?

Ans: The wings of butterflies are transparent and their wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales. The colors we see on their wings are the effect of light reflecting in different colors on the tiny scales.

Q3. What Is The Most Common White Butterfly?

Ans: The Cabbage White species of butterfly is the most common butterfly in the United States.

Q4. Do Butterflies Have A Liquid Diet?

Ans: Adult butterflies can only feed on liquids and they live on an all-liquid diet. They are only able to drink, but they cannot chew solids as they don’t have the necessary apparatus for chewing.

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Sayan Banerjee
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