Butterflies are some of the most beautiful creatures on this planet. Their life cycle teaches us about different phenomena of nature, like metamorphosis and pollination. From their vibrant wings to the happy dance from flower to flower, butterflies are truly magical. Moreover, their presence in gardens and the wild brings happiness to our lives. Did you know that the wings of butterflies are made of a protein called chitin which is also the same protein that forms the exoskeleton of an insect? Here are some other interesting facts about butterflies for kids to learn more useful information.
Fun Facts About Butterfly
Table of Contents
1. There are about 1,65,000 species of butterflies.
2. Butterflies are found everywhere in the world except Antarctica.
3. Butterfly wings are actually transparent.
4. The butterfly’s wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales which reflect light in different colours.
5. The taste receptors of butterflies are located on their feet.
6. A group of butterflies is called a flutter.
7. The eyes of butterflies are made of 6,000 lenses.
8. Butterflies can see ultraviolet light.
9. Many adult butterflies never excrete waste. Instead, they eat it for energy.
10. Butterflies move their wigs in the figure motion of “8”.
11. The largest species of butterflies may reach up to 12 inches whereas the smallest butterfly may be only half an inch.
12. Metamorphosis, or the process by which a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, takes about 10 to 15 days to complete.
13. Butterflies are cold-blooded.
14. Skipper butterflies fly so fast that they can actually outpace a horse.
15. Butterflies have a long tube-like tongue called a proboscis that allows them to soak up their food rather than sip it.
16. Male butterflies drink from mud puddles to extract minerals which are not found in flowers. This phenomenon is known as puddling.
17. The Cabbage White is the most common butterfly species in the USA.
18. Butterflies and insects have skeletons outside of their bodies, known as exoskeletons.
19. Butterflies and moths belong to the same group of insects called Lepidoptera.
20. Butterflies have four wings.
FAQs
5 interesting facts about butterflies are that they have four wings, they belong to the Lepidoptera group, they are cold-blooded, they are exoskeletons, and lastly, they can see UV light.
Butterflies are the only known group of insects with scales covering their wings. Moreover, their ability to coil up their proboscis also makes them different from other insects.
Although some butterfly species can live for nine months to a year, their average lifespan is two to four weeks only.
Hope you had fun reading these interesting facts about butterflies. If you like reading about facts, you can visit our interesting facts page to read more such blogs.