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Superfamily Papilionoidea - Butterflies (excluding skippers)
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies (excluding skippers))
Other Common Names Spanish: mariposa
French: papillon
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes BugGuide currently follows the taxonomy used by Opler and Warren, which is the same as the list at All-Leps (see this discussion) Explanation of Names The exact origin of the word butterfly is uncertain. Modern English butterfly is from Middle English boterflye, thence from Old English buttorfleoge, a compound word, corresponding to butter + fly. There are (at least) three theories as to the connection of butterfly to butter:
1-Butter refers to the color of yellow species, i.e., the Sulfurs, in particular, European species such as the Common Brimstone (Wiktionary-- butterfly). Under this scheme, the meaning of the compound buttorfleoge is "yellow flier" (Partridge, 1958). It is not clear why the sulfur family was chosen to represent, linguistically, the group.
2-Butterflies are attracted to milk and butter churns. (Alternatively, there were related folk tales that butterflies were spirits that stole cream.) The German word for butterfly, schmetterling has, perhaps, similar connotations ( Butterfly etymology).
3-A Dutch word for butterfly is (or was) boterschijte, allegedly referring to the color of its excrement, ( Oxford English Dictionary?, quoted in various Internet sources). This is, perhaps, a linguistic connection, but it is not clear how! (Dutch and English are closely related languages.) This derivation is rather implausible, since butterflies do not excrete solid waste, but the linguistic parallel is suggestive.
For a good summary, see the discussion from A World for Butterflies and also Scott (1).
Papilionoidea is from Latin papilio/papilionis, a butterfly or moth, and of course Papilio is a prominent genus of swallowtail butterflies. Size 0.7 - 30.0 centimeters Identification Butterflies have thin antennae with "knobs" on the end and are generally active during the day. Range throughout North America
world-wide, except Antarctica Habitat Habitats are varied, but adult butterflies are typical of open, sunny places, such as old fields. Some groups are typical of woodlands. Food Adult butterflies feed on nectar sucked from flowers with their coiled, sucking mouthparts. In the process they may transfer pollen from one flower to another, and many plants depend on butterflies or moths for pollination.
Most caterpillars eat the leaves of certain plants.
Life Cycle These insects undergo complete metamorphosis, that is, the young go through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult:
See Also Skippers, which are butterflies but are placed in their own superfamily, Hesperioidea.
Print References Field Guides
Brock and Kaufman, Butterflies of North America (2)
Glassberg, et al., Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East (3), Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West (4), Butterflies through Binoculars: Florida (5)
Opler et al., A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies (6), A Field Guide to Western Butterflies (7)
Pyle, National Audubon Society Field Guide to Butterflies (8)
see also listings under butterfly books
Life History/Caterpillars
Allen et al., A Field Guide to Caterpillars--covers most butterfly caterpillars (9)
Allen, The Butterflies of West Virginia and Their Caterpillars--extensive life-history information (10)
Pyle and Hughes, Handbook for Butterfly Watchers (11)
Schappert, A World for Butterflies: Their Lives, Habitats and Future--good discussion of mimicry complexes (12)
Scott, The Butterflies of North America--comprehensive reference on taxonomy and life histories (1)
Wagner, Caterpillars of Eastern North America--covers many butterfly and moth caterpillars (13)
Other references
Partridge, Eric (1958). Origins, A Short Etymological History of Modern English. New York: Macmillan.
Internet References Butterflies of Canada (Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility)
An updated list (PDF, May 2003) of scientific names for North American Butterflies, by Opler & Warren. Works Cited | 5. | Butterflies through Binoculars: Florida
By Jeffrey Glassberg, Marc C. Minno, John V. Calhoun | |
| 7. | A Field Guide to Western Butterflies 2nd Edition
By Paul A. Opler, illustrated by Amy Bartlett Wright | |
| 11. | Handbook for Butterfly Watchers
By Robert Michael Pyle and Sarah Hughes | |
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Lynette, Tony-2, Jay Barnes, Hartmut Wisch, Chris Wirth, J.D. Roberts, Nick Block, David Ferguson, JohnMaxwell22, ceisemanLast updated 22 October, 2009 - 2:08pm |
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