Glossary

A

Abdomen

The back section of an adult butterfly or caterpillar's body. The last nine segments of a caterpillar's body make up its abdomen.

Above

On the upper side of the butterfly or wing.

Alba Form

White-colored genetic variant in wings.

Antenna

A sense organ on the head of an insect. The plural form of the word is antennae (an-TEN-ee).

B

Band

An elongated section on the wings with parallel or roughly parallel sides that is wider than a line.

Bar

A short rectangular mark on the wings.

Base

The area of the wing closest to the butterfly's body.

Basking

Resting in sunlight to warm flight muscles.

Below

On the lower or underside of the butterfly or wing.

Brood

A single generation of a butterfly that develops and emerges during the same time period.

C

Caterpillar

The name for the larva of a butterfly or moth.

Cell

An area of each wing that is enclosed by veins.

Checkered

Alternating light and dark grid-like wing markings.

Chrysalis (CRIS-ah-lis)

The hard case that forms around the pupa of a butterfly.

Crochets (kro-SHAYS)

Curved spines or hooks on the prolegs of caterpillars.

Costa

The forward edge of the forewing and hindwing.

D

Diapause

An innate, controlled physiological state of suspended development or growth to survive predictable, unfavorable environmental conditions.

Dispersal

Movement of a butterfly away from the area where it emerged, often to find food, mates, or new habitat. A dispersing butterfly may not return to its original area.

Dorsal

The upper or top side of the butterfly.

E

Estivate

To enter a state of summer dormancy to survive periods of extreme heat, drought, and food scarcity.

Exoskeleton (eks-oh-SKEL-uh-tuhn)

The hard outer covering of an insect's body that protects and supports it.

Eyespot

A conspicuous, circular, ringed color marking on the wings that resembles an eye and is a key adaptation tied to anti-predator defense mechanisms.

F

Flight

The period when adult butterflies are active, including when they emerge, feed, mate, and fly.

Forewings

The front pair of a butterfly’s four wings.

Fringe

The edging of fine scales along the outermost margins of a butterfly’s wings.

G

H

Hibernate

To survive the winter in an inactive or dormant state, with greatly reduced activity and metabolism.

Hindwings

The back pair of a butterfly’s four wings.

Host Plant

A specific plant where a female butterfly lays her eggs and where her caterpillars feed after hatching.

I

Instar

A developmental state of a caterpillar between each shedding of its exoskeleton, or molt.

J

K

L

Larva

The second stage of metamorphosis, in which the butterfly is wingless and worm-like (a caterpillar). The plural form of the word is larvae (LAR-vee).

Leading Edge

The front part of butterfly wings.

M

Margin

The outer edge of a butterfly's wing.

Median

The central area of the wing.

Migration

The regular, seasonal back and forth movement between breeding and wintering locations.

Metamorphosis (met-uh-MOR-fuh-sis)

The process of development that produces an adult butterfly. During metamorphosis, the insect goes through four complete changes in form: egg, larva, pupa, adult.

Molting

Shedding an old exoskeleton to make way for a new one.

N

Nectar

A sweet substance produced by flowers that adult butterflies use as food.

O

Osmeterium (oz-meh-TER-ee-um)

An organ on the heads of swallowtail caterpillars that gives off an unpleasant odor. It is used for defense against predators.

Outer Margin

The outer edge of the wing, farthest from the butterfly's body.

Overwinter

To survive the winter in a particular life stage, such as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult.

P

Pheromones

Chemical scents released to communicate with other butterflies of the same species.

Pigment

A chemical molecule inside wing scales that absorbs certain wavelengths of light and reflects others, producing fixed colors.

Postmedian

The area of the wing just beyond the median area, toward the outer margin.

Predator

An animal that kills and eats another animal.

Proboscis (pro-BOSS-kiss)

A long, hollow, straw-like tube extending from the mouth of a butterfly, used to drink nectar and other liquids.

Prolegs

Stumpy legs located on the middle segments and the last segment of a caterpillar's body.

Protective coloring

Coloring on an insect's body that helps it to blend into its surroundings.

Pupa (PEW-puh)

The third stage of metamorphosis, during which the larva changes into an adult butterfly. The plural form of the word is pupae (PEW-pee).

Pupate

To change from a caterpillar into a pupa (chrysalis), the life stage in which the butterfly develops into an adult.

Q

R

S

Scales

Tiny, overlapping structures that cover the wings and give butterflies their colors and patterns.

Spermatophore (sper-MAT-uh-fore)

A compact packet of sperm passed from a male butterfly's body to the female's body during mating.

Spinneret (spin-nuh-RET)

A tube through which silk emerges from a caterpillar's body.

Spiracles (SPEAR-uh-kuhls)

Breathing holes on an insect's body.

Spot Band

Made up of multiple connected or nearly connected spots on a wing.

Stigma

A specialized patch of scent-producing scales found on the wings of some male butterflies.

Submargin

The area of the wing just inside the outer margin.

Submedian

The area of the wing just beyond the base.

T

Tail

Elongated, extension on the rear edge of the hindwing.

Tarsi

The final segments of a butterfly’s legs (“feet”), lined with specialized nerve cells that allow the butterfly to “taste” the surface of plants.

Thorax

The middle section of an adult butterfly's body to which legs and wings are attached. The first three segments of a caterpillar's body make up its thorax.

U

Upper side

The top surface of the butterfly's wings. Also called the dorsal surface.

Underside

The lower surface of the butterfly's wings. Also called the ventral surface.

V

Veins

Narrow tubes that run through the wings and provide support. They also carry fluids and nerves within the wings.

Ventral

The lower or underside of the butterfly.

W

Wingspan

The distance from the tip of one fully opened wing to the tip of the other wing.

X

Y

Z