A butterfly is a day-flying insect which has a four part life cycle. There are many different species and types of this insect and there are many interesting and humorous facts about butterflies which are of interest to everybody. It’s believed there are over 24,000 species currently in existence.

Butterflies come in a huge range of sizes, from an eighth of an inch (3 mm), to as much as 12 inches (30 cm) and surprisingly they can only see three different colors: red, green and yellow. The fastest can travel up to twelve miles an hour and you can find them on basically every continent on the planet.

The longest known lifespan among the group is the Brimstone which can live up to nine or even ten months. Some species have no mouth whatsoever and others have long tubular appendages for eating and drinking. Although they are considered a flying insect some females have no wings and only crawl.

Common Yellow or Oldworld swallowtail

Butterflies survive mainly on the nectar from flowers and also get some degree of nourishment from pollen and other small microorganisms. They are one of the species that are very important to the planet’s ecosystem as they act as pollinators. Obviously bees are known as the main pollinator but these insects are also important in the pollination between plants.

Butterflies are the victim of both parasites and predators. They are also readily susceptible to disease. They do have a range of defense mechanisms. These include specific cryptic coloration on their wings and body and chemical defenses. The chemical defenses are dependent on the plants they feed off which allow some species to create toxins to protect themselves with. The cryptic coloration is the insects’ way of protecting themselves by blending in and camouflaging into their surroundings. Some mimic leaves and tree bark, others have vibrant patterns to warn predators that they are a danger and not to be eaten.

Butterflies are popular collector’s items and collectors are known to go around with their nets and collect popular species and then store them in special glass cases. This is a popular pastime across Europe, the US and beyond.