Hey! Soon spring, flowers bloom, they must be polled by butterflies. While spring began, it is necessary to know what butterflies are in the world, how to find out and not confuse. As a bonus, the most popular species in Moscow and in various climatic zones of Russia.
Who are they
Butterflies are the most beautiful from insects, more scientifically called scales. This is a detachment that includes practically 200 thousand species. They are common throughout the globe, excluding forever iced plots.
Interested in the cycle of their life. You know that in half cases you just did not know this insect in nature. For example, it is also a butterfly.
Adult, the winged part is laying eggs on leaves and twigs. Caterpillars appear from these eggs, you often saw them. Caterpillars - Beach Ogorodnikov, in our territories it is a cabbage. Because of this butterfly, the threat of extinction in developed rural areas and cities. Then the caterpillar is pounded and a great creation appears from the doll. If you want to see butterflies, then resperate the caterpillars and do not destroy them without need.
Butterflies are of various sizes, habits and appearance. Their wings are combined - two pairs of scaly wings. Scales are painted in a variety of colors that are combined into patterns. But the wings are very fragile, the insect in the hands is better not to take at all.
They eat pollen or the organic organics - decomposed fruits, grass and even meat. It depends on the place where the butterfly lives. In dry Africa, they are forced to eat any organic organic, in tropical forests - to occupy those niches in which they will have less competitors.
Let's consider the most curious species, the most beautiful in my opinion and record holders.
Peacock eye
Let's start with beauty, which is found even in Russia. They are found in Eurasia and on the islands of our belt. The peacock eye has a very interesting reproduction.
The eggs are laid in spring, by the middle of the summer, the first generation this year finishes its cycle. Summer butterflies also lay eggs, but their children ripen just in the fall. Butterflies are winter in the hollow trees and badges, in the spring again to postpone the eggs. So looks caterpillar.
The peacock of the eye lives to 9 months, an amazing period. In wild places, they are very often. But their favorite delicacies are plants that are useless to people. Butterflies greatly lives on a wild mud, but she is simply nothing to eat on urban flower beds or plowed fields.
In size, they are not too large, up to 6 cm. For our latitudes it is the most optimal size. Girls are larger than boys.
Admiral
Another resident of our latitudes. In addition to Eurasia, Admiral flew to North America and even New Zealand. In many ways, the admiral is similar to peacock eyes. For example, in the life expectancy and its stages. Eggs they postpone on the northern borders of their range.
The caterpillar looks like this:
But Admiral is a real traveler. While the peacock eyes hides from Morozov, Admiral flies over the sun, fleeing colds in the southern regions. In the spring they return to their homeland. In the summer in Finland, in winter in Greece - not a dream, but an ordinary life insect.
It feeds both with floral nectar, including the treasure and juice of trees, and during periods of hunger - humus. So the dieting beauty does not threaten, but in some areas they are listed in the Red Book. However, the number of admiral is unstable: in some years they are darkness, to other - unprofessional and not at all will be met.
People have long noticed that part of the butterflies does not fly away to the winter. And only recently were able to find out that these are different subspecies that do not even cross. Indeed, there are settled and migratory varieties. All butterflies in size up to 6 cm, like peacock eyes.
Morpho Meneli.
A little exotics in the tape. This beauty lives in South and Central America, respects the jungle. He eats anything, but due to competition prefers rot.
Their wings are not blue, these are reflective scales. In life, it looks metal, and the color depends on the lighting.
And this is one of the largest butterflies in the world, up to 15 cm in motion. There is nothing to say about her life, so just see what beauty can be found in the tropics.
Diaethria Eluina.
Another little-known beauty. Prefers more southern regions of South America, for example, Peru. They are also called "Butterfly 88" because of the extraordinary drawing on the wings.
Size up to 6 cm, its painting on the background of plants of tropics is lost even for the sophisticated viewer. In fact, this is the genus of butterflies, and the species are distinguished by a little coloring among themselves. Feed fruit juice.
Incredible beauty makes the butterfly worry about her life: collectors massively exterminate them, local kill to create souvenirs. Hold out the purchase of this butterfly, sagging the kind that is harmless, and cannot protect yourself.
Mahaon.
Externally, not too unusual appearance.
But it allocates her other. While others migrate in one or small groups, Mahaon's migration cannot be noticed. See for yourself.
Machaon wings over 10 centimeters. Lives throughout the northern hemisphere, migrates hundreds of kilometers. But the butterfly lives only three weeks, therefore several generations are replaced during the migration. They look very interesting to the caterpillar, maybe you even saw it.
Eats Mahaon nectar of very many plants. The Stage of the Butterfly does not prevent a person in any way, and we do not harm insect. But the caterpillar suffers greatly from man. Books, fires and snowy fields do not leave her a chance for survival. Meet Central and North America, in many islands, in Africa.
Piece of Queen Alexandra
This is the largest butterfly in the world! Up to 30 centimeters of wings. Lives on New Guinea Island. Females differ from males.
Unfortunately, this is an extinct view. And, for a rarity, not a person, but the nature itself is to blame. The bird has lived on a fairly small territory and any change is significantly reduced by the habitat. It happened in the 20th century, when the volcano destroyed a third of the forests where the birds were lived. Caterpillars look like this.
Eats birds to pollen and juice of plants, lives in the shape of a butterfly for 3 months. The hunt for them is prohibited, import into most countries will be a gross violation of the law.
Lonomia Obliqua.
Another record holder. But already in poisonousness. The butterfly itself is a beautiful and harmless little animal, but her caterpillar is protected from any misfortune.
The caterpillar spikes contains toxin, which reduces blood reducing. Randomly touch - a long heating hematoma. But if you "roll up" with her or touch it immediately to several, then a great chance to die from the hemorrhage into the brain or kidney failure.
Lives in South America. More often in tropical zones, but even reaches Argentina. The caterpillar parasitates on many trees, perfectly merging with the bark.
Johanssonia Acetosea.
One of the smallest butterflies. She lives only 10 days, and this is taking into account the life of the caterpillar. Baby size is only 2 millimeters. She lives, by the way, is not too far away from us. Guests of the United Kingdom can see the acetosis.
Now let's look at the regions of Russia.
Moscow
In Moscow, you can meet up to 200 types of butterflies. The peak of their activity falls July-August. I will not bring the endangered species, only a couple of frequent so you can recognize them on the street and in the park.
This is a carcalna C-white:
And the caterpillars of these beauties eat your crop. Belyanka Hawthorn and other whites:
Cleshinitsa you often saw in the forests and called the lemon.
Hives:
Do not forget about the above-mentioned peacock eyes and admiral. These species are found throughout European Russia. In Siberia and the Far East in places where the snow is still coming, there are the same types of butterflies. And local endemics.
South of Russia
Again, the most common representatives, but the articles are not enough. Here Mahaon is often found.
Pear peachangolace.
Bringer "Dead Head" and other brahniki, the same structure, but with another pattern.
Scoop "Order Tape". There are different colors.
Such butterflies are found in Russia. Have you seen everyone? In fact, the species are very much, no wonder they lead their development from the Jurassic period. Write, do you like butterflies and saw any of our record holders? Perhaps you will be interested to know about cats or dogs?
Alla was Alla - a little biologist, and a lover go to the zoo in a room with butterflies.