1. Butterflies are eminently found in the densely forested hills and flowering plants where vegetation is abundant and varied. They are day fliers.
2. Few species are found in dry cultivated plains. It has cosmopolitan distribution.
3. Butterfly is a large and the most beautiful lepidopteran insect legs.
4. Body is divided usually into three parts, namely head, thorax and abdomen and is slender (3) Head if freely movable and possesses a pair of large compound eyes and clubbed antennae (with swollen tips).
5. Mouth parts are of sucking type provided with a spirally coiled suctorial proboscis.
6. Maxillae are modified into spirally-colled proboscis.
7. Thorax has 3 pairs of legs and 2 pairs of wings. Wings are typically covered with broad scales. When at rest the wings may be held vertically above the body or roof-life of horizontal and lengthwise over the body. The venation is predominantly longitudinal veins. The wings are coupled and beat together. Wings have colored patches Margin of hind wings contain hairs.
8. There are no cerci. Ovipositor rarely present.
9. Abdomen has 10 segments covered with scales.
10. Segments covered with scales.
11. Common butterflies are dead-leaf butterflies, monarch butterflies, and cabbage butterflies.
Source:
1. Practical Zoology Invertebrates by S.S.Lal. 2. A Manual of Practical Zoology Chordates by Dr. P.S. Verma.
