Butterfly Glossary
Ever wonder what a chitin is? There are many interesting terms when it comes to butterflies and caterpillars! Read on to become an expert in lepidopteran anatomy!
- Aestivation
- Dormancy during hot, dry periods
- Anal Fold
- Portion of the hind wing that folds against the abdomen when at rest
- Androconium
- Specialized scale that produces pheromones
- Annual
- A plant that lives one year only
- Antennae
- Sensory appendages (feelers) on apex of butterfly's head
- Brood
- A generation of young from a common female
- Camouflage
- Animal disguise; how animals hide by blending with their background
- Caterpillar
- Also called "larva" (pl. larvae), the second stage of a butterfly's life
- Cell
- Area of wing encircled by veins
- Chitin
- The liquid produced by the insect's body which hardens to form the exoskeleton, the chrysalis, and the wing membrance
- Chrysalis
- The resting stage of a butterfly between the larval and adult stages
- Claspers
- Appendages at the end of the abdomen of males to secure the female during mating
- Cline
- Slight change in physical appearance from one geographical region to another
- Cocoon
- The resting stage of a moth between larva and adult
- Compound Eye
- An eye made up of many light-sensitive facets
- Conservation
- The official care and protection of natural resources
- Control
- To test or verify a scientific experiment by a parallel experiment or other standard of comparison
- Costa
- Upper edge of wings
- Cremaster
- Hook-bearing structure which attaches the pupa to a twig when becoming a chrysalis
- Crochets
- Tiny hooks on prolegs of caterpillars
- Diapause
- Period of inactivity caused by environmental factors
- Dimorphism
- The presence of two distinct forms within a species
- Disk
- Central portion of the wing
- Dormant
- In a sleeping position; state of minimal activity
- Dorsal
- Upper side of the wing
- Drought
- Dry weather, lack of rain
- Emigrate
- To leave an area, not to return
- Endemic
- Limited to a specific geographic area
- Entomologist
- Someone who studies insects
- Evaporation
- To give off moisture
- Exoskeleton
- Hard external shell covering the pupa or adult
- Experiment
- Trial or test procedure to discover something unknown
- Frass
- Caterpillar poop
- Frenate
- Bristles on hind wing that lock into hairs of forewing
- Germination
- The first act of growth of an embryo plant
- Girdle
- Silken harness spun by some caterpillars to suspend itself from a vertical surface
- Gynandromorph
- Having both male and female characteristics
- Habitat
- The natural home of an animal or plant
- Hair Pencil
- Cluster of hairlike scale utilized during courtship
- Hemolymph
- Body fluids of lepidoptera (butterfly blood)
- Host Plant
- Larval food plant
- Instar
- Period between molts (shedding of old exoskeleton)
- Larva
- The caterpillar stage of a butterfly's life; the young stage of an insect
- Lens
- One part of an insect's eye which focuses light
- Lepidoptera
- Order of insects in which butterflies and moths are classified; the meaning is "scaled wings"
- Lepidopterist
- A person who studies butterflies and moths
- Life Cycle
- The stages of an animal's life from birth to death
- Lipid
- Fats internally retained for fuel during migratory flights
- Lunule
- Crescent-shaped spot on wing
- Margin
- Edge of the wing
- Mate
- To come together to produce young
- Metamorphosis
- Process of changing from larva to adult
- Migration
- Movement of animals at different times of the year, usually for breeding or over-wintering
- Mimicry
- Imitating a harmful insect or plant to escape predators
- Molt
- Shedding of old exoskeleton to allow a new period of growth
- Nectar
- Liquid produced by plants that is ingested by butterflies and some moths
- Ocelli
- Cosmetic eyespots used for protection or the simple eyes of caterpillars
- Oviposit
- To lay eggs
- Ovipositor
- Structure at tip of female abdomen which deposits eggs
- Osmeterium
- Fleshy organ that can be extended from behind the head by swallowtail caterpillars that emits an unfavorable odor to fend off predators
- Palpi
- Pair of furry facial appendages to clean and protect the proboscis
- Perennial
- Blossoming annually; continuous, undying
- Pesticides
- Chemicals used to poison insects or other pests
- Pheromones
- Scent produced to initiate sexual activity
- Pollination
- The moving of pollen from the male to the female parts of a flower
- Polymorphism
- Several forms occurring within the same species
- Predators
- Animals that kill and eat others
- Preserve
- (Ecological) - to keep safe from injury or destruction
- Proboscis
- Long, slender sucking tube used for feeding
- Pupa
- The resting form before emerging as an adult
- Pupate
- The act of becoming a pupa (change from a caterpillar to a chrysalis)
- Race
- Subspecies; a distinctive population
- Roost
- Gathering spot to spend the night or the winter
- Scales
- The millions of modified hairs forming shingle-like plates covering moths' and butterflies' wings
- Sex Patch
- Pad of scent scales on wings
- Shelter
- Place, home, or dwelling to be safe from the elements
- Spiracles
- Breathing holes positioned along the abdomen
- Spinneret
- Gland beneath the caterpillar's head used for producing silk
- Stigma
- Very defined scent scale patch on the wing of many males
- Subspecies
- Distinct group which is still able to breed with other members of the species
- Tarsus
- Hooks at the terminal end of feet to allow climbing
- Territory
- Piece of land an animal defends against outsiders
- Translucent
- Semi-transparent; admitting light
- Tubercle
- Raised knob often covered with spines
- Uncus
- Hook-shaped projections at the tip of the male abdomen used for securing the female during mating
- Valvae
- The vise-like uncus
- Venation
- Arrangements of veins through the wings
- Ventral
- Underside
- Wings
- The butterfly appendages of flight