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Frequently
Asked Questions About Butterflies:
Q. Can
butterflies fly without their scales?
A. We
have all heard that if we touch a butterfly's wings it will not be
able to fly. If a butterfly's wings are touched, some of the scales
can rub off. The slipperiness and easy detachment of butterfly scales
may help butterflies escape predators. If a butterfly loses some of
its scales, it will be able to fly; however, if a butterfly is over-touched,
other damage could be done to the wing which could prevent the butterfly
from flying.
Q.
Can butterflies repair their damaged wings?
A. No!
However, butterflies can continue to fly with less than half their
wing.
Q.
Are there any extinct butterflies?
A. The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently lists 16 species as endangered
or threatened. These are the only species listed; several other candidates
are being considered for listing. The only American butterfly known
to have become extinct from human cause is the Xerces blue, which
vanished from the San Francisco Peninsula in 1943.
Q.
Why are butterflies important?
A. Butterflies
are ideal monitors for habitat destruction, pollution and the overuse
of pesticides and herbicides. Also, since nectar is the food of most
adult butterflies, as they visit flowers they transfer pollen, assisting
in crop pollination. They are also an important part of the food web.
Q.
What are the differences between butterflies and moths?
A. There
are always exceptions but generally: The tips of the butterfly's
antennae
are usually knobbed. The antennae of most moths are tapered at the
tip and are feathery. Most butterflies are active in the day. Most
moths are active at night. Butterflies, at rest, hold their wings
vertically over their back. Moths fold their wings over their back
or extend them to the sides. A butterfly's wings are not hooked
together.
Moth's wings are often hooked together. Butterflies' bodies are often
slender and smooth. A moth's body is often thick and fuzzy. A butterfly's
pupa is called a chrysalis and is smooth and papery. A moth's
pupa is often within
a silken cocoon made with a long fiber. Silk comes from moth cocoons.
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BUTTERFLY
BASICS
Butterfly
families…
Butterflies and moths are an order of insects called the
Lepidoptera, which means "scaly wings." There are about
17,000 species of butterflies in the world and 700 species in North
America.
Metamorphosis
- A changing of form, a transformation. There are two main
types of metamorphosis - incomplete and complete. Butterflies
go through complete metamorphosis.
Complete
metamorphosis - The insect develops through distinct body forms:
egg, larvae (caterpillar),
pupa (chrysalis) and adult.
Female
butterflies lay their eggs - up to 1,600 during her lifetime - only
on the type of plant that the particular caterpillar species will
eat. This plant is called the host plant or the larval food plant.
Four to 10 days later, a caterpillar will emerge from the egg.
The role
of the caterpillar is to eat, often eating its own eggshell, then
move on to devour the larval food plant. Because caterpillars are
insects, they have an exoskeleton and have to molt to grow. Depending
on the species, a caterpillar will molt four to six times. The final
molt of the caterpillar is an amazing process. Using its spinnerets,
the caterpillar attaches itself to a plant or other object. It may
hang upside down from a pad of silk or spin a thin girdle of silk
that supports it in an upward position. Once attached the caterpillar
molts again, however, this time, the chrysalis or pupa is produced
under the exoskeleton. This is the resting stage of the butterfly's
life cycle.
The butterfly
emerges from the pupae case a week to many months later, depending
on the season and the species of butterfly. When it emerges, the wings
are wrinkled and small. It hangs upside down and pumps hemolymph,
insect blood, into the veins of its wings to make them expand. The
butterfly can't fly away until its wings are hardened. Now that its
wormlike appearance has been shed, the butterfly has four wings, two
antennae, compound eyes, which see all the colors we see plus ultraviolet,
and six legs. Its mouthpart, proboscis, is now a long, tube-like structure
used to drink nectar.
The average
life span of a butterfly is two weeks, but can be as brief as two
days or as long as a year.
Butterfly
behaviors…
Basking - Sunlight is the elixir of life for butterflies. They need
it to fly. When basking, butterflies position their wings at a right
angle to the incoming light. The warmth from basking is transferred
to the butterfly's thoracic flight muscles. If you watch a butterfly
basking, you may notice that they slowly open and close their wings.
They are regulating heat absorption and dispersal.
Puddling
- Groupings of butterflies often congregate at pools and along
streams
and rivers to drink water and extract minerals from
water and mud.
Mating
- Once a male finds a potential mate, he flies either above or behind
the female, often with an increased fluttering wingbeat. If the female
is receptive, the male grasps her with his claspers and transfers
a spermatophore. Mating usually lasts several hours and often occurs
while the pair is flying. After mating is completed, the male flies
off to find another female and the female begins the search for a
host plant. The cycle continues…
Fighting
- Some male butterflies are territorial. They chase males of
their species away, but allow females to rest and feed in their
territory.
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WHAT
YOU CAN DO TO HELP LOCAL BUTTERFLY POPULATIONS
Reduce
Pesticide Use
Reconsider
Butterfly Releases
It has
become popular to release commercially bred butterflies at special
occasions such as weddings, fairs and other events. Although a seemingly
harmless practice, many scientists have stated that releasing butterflies
into the wild has the potential of harming wild butterfly populations
and ecosystems. Their concerns include the following:
•
Some released, non-native butterflies could mate with wild butterflies,
potentially polluting or reducing the genetic viability of wild populations.
• Massive releases of commercially raised butterflies may also
skew data related to butterfly counts that help monitor the status
of wild butterfly populations.
• Butterfly breeders, who are not properly permitted by appropriate
regulatory agencies or who do not follow industry standards, could
produce butterflies that carry diseases and parasites that might spread
to wild butterflies.
Since
some caterpillars are considered potential plant pests, the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and corresponding state
agencies
have the responsibility of regulating the butterfly breeding industry.
USDA regulates and issues permits for breeding a limited number
of
butterfly species approved for release. The approval of species for
release is also regulated by state agencies.
If you
are thinking about releasing butterflies for a special occasion, it
is important to consider all of the above factors. Contact your state
agency to determine which species/types of butterflies are allowed
for release in your area. And make sure that the organization from
which you are receiving the butterflies has all the proper governmental
permits.
Thank
you for making an informed decision about butterfly releases.
For
more information, check out the North
American Butterfly Association's release about this subject.
 Plant
Your Own Butterfly Garden
You can
create a welcoming environment for butterflies in your own neighborhood.
All it takes is water, a sunny location, and some good soil and space
for plants.
Learn
which butterflies live in your region. Use this guide and books from
the library to discover how to attract native butterflies.
Learn
which plants are native to your region. Butterflies depend on plants
for their survival.
Provide
plants that help butterflies survive. Different plants are needed
during different stages of a butterfly's life. Make sure you have
food plants for caterpillars as well as flowering plants that provide
nectar for adult butterflies.
Avoid
using pesticides in your garden. If a garden is good for butterflies,
it is also good for birds, other wildlife and you.
Some
Food Plants for Caterpillars
| Trees |
Caterpillars |
| Black
cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), quaking aspen (P. tremuloides)
and willows (Salix spp.) |
western
tiger swallowtail, mourning cloak and others (especially willows) |
| Douglas
fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and pines (Pinus spp.) |
pine
white |
| Garden
Flowers and Ground Covers |
|
| Hollyhock
(Alcea rosea) |
painted
lady, west coast lady |
| Kinnikinnik
(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) |
spring
azure, brown elfin |
| Vegetables |
|
| Broccoli,
cabbage (Brassica oleracae var.) |
cabbage
white |
| Beans
(Phaseolu vulgaris var.) |
gray
hairstreak |
| Carrot,
dill, fennel, parsley (Umbelliferae family) |
anise
swallowtail |
| Common
"Weedy" Species |
|
| Nettle
(Urtica lyallii) |
Milbert’s
tortoiseshell, red admiral, satyr anglewing |
| Clover
(Trifolium spp.) |
common
sulfur, orange sulfur |
Some
Flowering Plants for Butterflies
| Plants |
Bloom
Time |
| Mock
orange (Philadelphus lewisii) |
June/July |
| Mountain
balm (Ceanothus velutinus) |
April/May |
| Pearly
everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) |
August/September |
| Garden
Shrubs |
|
| Lilac
(Syringa vulgaris) |
April/May |
| Viburnum
(Viburnum carlesii) |
April/May |
| Garden
Flowers |
|
| Bee
balm (Monarda didyma) |
June/July |
| Black-eyed
Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) |
All
Summer |
| Lavender
(Lavendula angustifolia) |
June/July |
| Phlox
(Phlox paniculata) |
June-
August |
| Purple
cornflower (Echinacea purpurea) |
July-
September |
Information
courtesy of Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA
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Courtesy of Kimberly O'Harrow, photographer |
DOUBLE
TROUBLE: Endangered Fender's Blue
Endangered
Fender's Blue butterflies face a double dilemma.
First,
their caterpillars will eat only Kincaid's lupine, a threatened
plant
that is disappearing. Second, non-native weeds are crowding out
the nectar plants the adult butterfly feeds upon.
Kincaid's
lupine and the other plants the butterfly needs are found in
upland
prairie habitat in the Willamette Valley. Only scattered patches
of that habitat still exist. The butterfly has disappeared from
many of the patches that remain.
The
Oregon Zoo raises Fender's Blue butterflies to be released in the
small patches of upland prairie habitat that remain. Other partners
in this project are working to restore the habitat with the plants
the butterfly and its caterpillar need.
THE
OREGON SILVERSPOT BUTTERFLY PROJECT
By
Mary Jo Andersen, Blair Csuti and David Shepherdson
The
Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene hippolyta) is one of
two Oregon butterflies listed as threatened or endangered under
the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Once found in coastal headlands
from northern California to southern Washington, it has disappeared
from all but a handful of sites along the Oregon coast. In addition
to habitat losses, one possible factor in its decline has been fire
suppression, which allows grass to overshadow its obligate larval
host plant, the western blue violet (Viola adunca).
The
Nature Conservancy's 280-acre Cascade Head Reserve in southern Tillamook
County is home to one of the surviving populations. During the last
ten years, butterfly monitoring at Cascade Head has shown a dramatic
decline in the number of butterflies seen flying. From an average
of over 1,000 adults seen most years prior to 1992, only 57 butterflies
were recorded in 1998. In response, The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
has initiated a habitat management plan that will use controlled
burning to increase host plant populations. For the next several
years, however, while the population hovers near extinction, TNC,
the Oregon Zoo, and Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo have embarked on
a butterfly-rearing program designed to maintain genetic variability
in the population and increase the likelihood of its natural recovery.
During
the 1999 and 2001 flight seasons, ten female butterflies were brought
from Cascade Head and induced to lay eggs in laboratories at the
Oregon Zoo. These butterflies that were captured toward the end
of their life cycle, with the intent that they would have already
bred and laid some eggs in the field before being brought into captivity.
Every day, the butterflies were fed nectar, a solution of sugar
water and egg white, by placing them on saturated cotton balls.
The
eggs were collected daily, and put into separate petri dishes. After
approximately ten days, many of the eggs hatched out into tiny larvae.
Each larvae is about two millimeters long, and under a microscope,
can be seen to be a perfect miniature caterpillar! At this stage,
the larvae do not eat, but they were given drinks of water by placing
them on moist filter paper. After drinking, they were placed in
cylinders inside custom made alder cubes, and put into a refrigerator
for winter diapause, or hibernation.
Following
winter dormancy, the butterfly larvae are fed Viola leaves until
they are large enough to be returned to Cascade Head. Larvae are
fed until they pupate. They are then returned to Cascade Head ready
to emerge as adult butterflies.
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Interdependence
of Butterflies and Flowers
•
Adult butterflies pollinate many different plant species, and
many flowers have specific adaptations for attracting them.
•
Many butterfly attractors bear dense clusters of small flowers
that enable the butterfly to sip nectar simply by moving its proboscis
from one blossom to another. Such flowers allow the butterfly
to conserve energy while feeding.
•
Most butterflies and many other insects can see ultraviolet, a
color that is invisible to human eyes. Many flowers and butterfly
wings include ultraviolet in their color mix. Within a species,
the presence or absence of these markings typically helps to differentiate
between males and females.
•
Flowers also use the secret communication line of ultraviolet.
The flower's color, form, aroma and nectar guides work in combination
as signals and signposts to efficiently guide the butterfly or
other insect to the source of nectar.
•
The blooms that we enjoy with our eyes and noses are also the
beacons, landing platforms and launching pads for pollinators.
In the process, insects get dusted with pollen, which they carry
to other flowers. This, in turn, helps the plants produce seeds
and reproduce.
•
Most butterflies prefer flowers that are pink, red, purple or
yellow and that are open all day. Most moths lean toward pale
or white flowers that open in the evening.
•
There are orchids in Madagascar that are totally dependent on
hawk moths for pollination.
OREGON
ZOO UNITES WITH Nation's ZOOS TO PROTECT ENDANGERED BUTTERFLIES
Due
to the alarming decline of butterflies in the Northwest and throughout
North America, the Oregon Zoo has united with the American Zoo
and Aquarium Association (AZA) and 34 zoos and aquariums from
around the country to form the Butterfly Conservation Initiative
(BFCI), a program designed to bring together non-governmental
organizations and government agencies to aid the recovery of imperiled
North American butterflies. In the summer of 2002 the BFCI received
a $52,000 challenge grant from the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation (NFWF) and $10,000 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service
to support this initiative.
BFCI
aims to recover imperiled butterfly populations by raising public
awareness about habitat protection and by undertaking restoration
efforts. The participating organizations will work together to
involve the public in outreach, education and community conservation
activities.
Currently,
there are 22 federally listed butterfly species that are either
threatened or endangered. In Oregon, there are two endangered
butterfly species: Oregon silverspot and Fender's blue. The zoo's
conservation efforts for northwest butterflies are described in
the zoo's new Winged Wonders exhibit, which features more than
20 North American species. The Oregon Zoo rears the Oregon silverspot
for release at Cascade Head on the Oregon coast. Through grant
support from Foley/Frischkorn Wildlife Conservation Fund, the
zoo works collaboratively with Nature Conservancy, US Fish and
Wildlife Service, Woodland Park Zoo, Oregon Department of Forestry,
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon State University
to save these endangered butterflies.
"Butterflies
and other insects are indicators of the overall health of an ecosystem;
their decline is telling us we need to act now," said Oregon
Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "For the past three years, the
Oregon Zoo has reared endangered Oregon silverspot butterflies.
We're pleased that more and more conservation organizations are
taking leadership roles in butterfly stewardship."
Butterflies
and other insects pollinate the vast majority of all food plants
on earth.
"The
loss of butterflies and other pollinators would be a biological
disaster," said Vecchio. "Butterflies are threatened
by habitat loss, the widespread use of pesticides and the introduction
of invasive species that out compete host plants. This initiative
helps focus our efforts to save species found in our own backyards."
According
to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, "Effective conservation
of threatened and endangered species is based on a partnership
between people and the government. The Butterfly Conservation
Initiative exemplifies this principle, and could serve as a model
for other cooperative endangered species conservation efforts.
Together, we can work to conserve and recover these amazing species
for future generations."
BFCI
members will aim to recover imperiled butterfly populations by
raising public awareness about habitat protection and by undertaking
restoration efforts where appropriate. The participating organizations
will work together to involve the public in outreach, education
and community conservation activities.
The
BFCI working collaboratively with Xerces Society researchers and
AZA and USFWS biologists will develop a "matrix of needs"
for all 22 imperiled species so that the BFCI targets its efforts
and maximizes the impact of its butterfly recovery work.
The
founding members of the BFCI include Oregon Zoo and Seattle's
Woodland Park Zoo as well as the Abilene Zoo, Akron Zoo, Albuquerque
Biological Park, Audubon Nature Institute, Baltimore Zoo, Binder
Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Calgary Zoo, Central Florida Zoological Park,
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo,
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Dallas World Aquarium, Disney's Animal
Kingdom, Detroit Zoological Park, Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, Henry
Vilas Zoo, John Ball Park Zoo, The Living Desert, Louisville Zoo,
Miami Metrozoo, National Aquarium in Baltimore, Oklahoma City
Zoo, Potawatomi Zoo, Racine Zoological Gardens, Reid Park Zoo
Teen Volunteers, Roger Williams Park Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Santa
Barbara Zoo, Seneca Park Zoo Society, Toledo Zoo, and Toronto
Zoo.
The
Oregon Zoo, in cooperation with AZA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Wildlife Federation, Xerces Society and accredited zoos
and aquariums are committed to butterfly conservation and environmental
stewardship.
Butterflies
and moths are part of one order of insects called the Lepidoptera,
which means "scaly wings." There are about 17,000 species
of butterflies in the world and 700 species in North America.
The
Oregon Zoo's Winged Wonders butterfly garden, which runs May 24
through September 1, is open daily at 10 a.m. There is an additional
$2 fee to tour the garden. A portion of the proceeds helps fund
the zoo's butterfly education and conservation efforts.
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