The Classification of Butterflies 



said upon this subject in the first chapter of this book. By re- 

 ferring again to the classification which has been given, it will be 

 noted that the last four orders in the list agree in that the crea- 

 tures included within them undergo for the most part what is 

 known as a complete metamorphosis; that is to say, they pass 

 through four successive stages of development, existing first as 

 eggs, then as worm-like larva;, or caterpillars, then as pupae, and 

 finally as perfect, fully developed insects, gifted for the most part 

 with the power of flight, and capable of reproducing their kind. 

 All of this has been to some extent already elucidated in the first 

 chapter of the present volume, but it may be well to remind the 

 reader of these facts at this point. 



A question which is frequently asked by those who are not 

 familiar with the subject relates to the manner in which it is 

 possible to distinguish between moths and butterflies. A partial 

 answer can be made in the light of the habits of the two classes 

 of lepidoptera. Butterflies are diurnal in their habits, flying be- 

 tween sunrise and dusk, and very rarely taking the wing at night. 

 This habit is so universal that these insects are frequently called 

 by entomologists " the diurnal lepidoptera," or are simply spoken 

 of as " diurnals." It is, however, true that many species of moths 

 are also diurnal in their habits, though the great majority of them 

 are nocturnal, or crepuscular, that is, flying at the dusk of the 

 evening, or in the twilight of the early morning. Upon the basis 

 of mere habit, then, we are able only to obtain a partial clue to the 

 distinction between the two suborders. A more definite distinc- 

 tion is based upon struc- 

 ture, and specifically upon 

 the structure of the an- 

 tennae. Butterflies have 

 long, thread-like antennae, 

 provided with a swelling 

 at the extremity, giving 

 them a somewhat club- 

 shaped appearance (Fig. 

 76). This form of an- 

 tennae is very unusual among the moths, and only occurs in a few 

 rare genera, found in tropical countries, which seem to represent 

 connecting-links between the butterflies and the moths. All the 

 true moths which are found within the limits of the United 



61 



Fig. 76. — Antennae of butterflies. 



