A butterfly is a flying insect of the order Lepidoptera
belonging to one of the superfamilies Hesperioidea (the
skippers) and Papilionoidea (all other butterflies). Many
butterflies have striking colours and patterns on their
wings. People who study or collect butterflies (or the
closely related moths) are called lepidopterists. Butterfly
watching is growing in popularity as a hobby.The four
stages in the lifecycle of a butterfly. Unlike many insects,
butterflies do not experience a nymph period, but instead
go through a pupal stage which lies between the larva
and the adult stage (the imago). Butterfly eggs consist
of a hard-ridged outer layer of shell, called the chorion.
This is lined with a thin coating of wax which prevents
the egg from drying out before the larva has had time
to fully develop. Each egg contains a number of tiny funnel-shaped
openings at one end, called micropyles; the purpose of
these holes is to allow sperm to enter and fertilize the
egg.
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