Butterflies are like the peacocks of the insect world -- they dazzle with their brightly colored wings and flit delicately among blooming flowers. Yet how do these seemingly dainty bugs survive against the harsh outdoor elements?
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Question 2 of 11
The caterpillar phase happens during which developmental stage?
larval
pupal
adult
...
The egg hatches into the butterfly's larval form -- the caterpillar. A caterpillar's job is to consume enough food to sustain itself during its transformation into a butterfly.
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Question 3 of 11
What event usually precedes a butterfly's death?
migration
mating
egg hatching
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Finding a mate and reproducing are often the last events of a butterfly's life -- the females lay their eggs, then die.
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Question 4 of 11
What body part does a butterfly use to taste?
wings
antennae
legs
...
At the end of each of its six legs, all of which attach to its thorax, are taste organs that the butterfly uses to find food.
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Question 5 of 11
What are butterfly wings made of?
chitin
feathers
freckles
...
Butterfly wings are made of an extremely thin, transparent material called chitin stretched over a series of veinlike structures.
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Question 6 of 11
Which element is the most dangerous for butterflies?
rain
cold
wind
...
Butterflies' bodies work best at an internal temperature of about 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius). Butterflies can't move their wing muscles at all if they get too cold, which means they can't look for food or flee from predators.
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Question 7 of 11
During the daytime, why do butterflies bask with their wings open?
to scare away predators
to camouflage themselves
to soak in the heat
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During the day, you may see butterflies basking with their wings open to catch the warmth from the sun. They rely on their external environment to stay warm.
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Question 8 of 11
What is a staple for butterflies?
nectar
leaves
flowers
...
Nectar is the staple of a butterfly's diet. Flowering plants produce nectar that insects want to eat, and, in exchange, the insects spread the flowers' pollen, allowing plant life to reproduce.
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Question 9 of 11
What famous migration route do monarch butterflies follow?
United States to Mexico
Canada to the United States
Mexico to Morocco
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The most famous butterfly migration route belongs to the monarch butterfly, which makes its journey from the northern United States to Mexico in several stages involving multiple generations of butterflies.
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Question 10 of 11
Why do butterflies eat so much?
to stay warm
to grow
to gain energy for flight
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Butterflies eat a lot to keep their motors running and their wings flapping. Flying, in turn, helps keep them warm.
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Question 11 of 11
Which of the following would not make a helpful addition to a butterfly garden?
shrubs
single-petal flowers
brightly colored flowers
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Since butterflies feed on nectar, you'll want flowers in your butterfly garden. Bright, single-petal varieties such as phlox or verbena work well.
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