Wild Animals A-Z

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Butterfly

Butterflies 101: A whopping 165,000 species grouped in 127 families make butterflies and moths one of the most diverse insects in the world. Common features among the array of species are a scale-covered body and wings, a mouth in the form of a proboscis, an elongated appendage used for sipping nectar, and the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly or moth through metamorphosis.

Moth or Butterfly?: There is no clear-cut difference between moths and butterflies, and scientists have yet to make a definitive distinction. In general, butterflies tend to be brighter in color and fly in the day, while the drab moth makes its rounds at night.

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MORE BUTTERFLY

GUIDE: Wild Butterfly Guide

GAME: Butterfly Memory Game

WALLPAPER: Butterfly Wallpaper

TOP 10: Top Animal Cheat

TOP 10: Top Animal Glutton

DID YOU KNOW?

Feet That Can Taste: Some butterflies a leaf where they will lay their eggs will be good food for their offspring.

World's Largest: The largest butterfly in the world, the female Queen Alexandra birdwing butterfly of New Guinea, can have a wingspan of over a foot across.

World's Smallest: The smallest butterfly in the world, the western pygmy blue butterfly of the United States, has a wingspan of 0.62 inches across.

How Stuff Works

Will a Butterfly Die If I Touch Its Wings?
Butterflies are so beautiful, they're hard not to want to get close to. But can human contact do irreparable harm? Find out at HowStuffWorks.com.