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The butterflies are insects that
constitute the subfamily Papilionoidea, which, in most classification
systems, contains six families. Along with the skippers and moths,
they make up the insect order Lepidoptera. There are several
thousand different species of butterflies. Butterflies enjoy
worldwide distribution, but some of the largest and most beautiful come
from the tropics.
The wings, bodies, and legs of
butterflies and moths are covered with dust-like scales that come off
when handled. Unlike moths, butterflies are usually brightly
colored and are active during the day. One of its most distinguishing
features is the club-tipped antennae and its habit of holding the wings
vertically over the back when at rest. The life cycle of the
butterfly, like that of all lepidopterans, has four stages: egg, larva
(caterpillar), pupa (chyrsalis) and adult (imago). The larva and
adult of most species are plant eaters. |
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PLEASE NOTE: All of our
butterflies, moths, beetles, spiders, and other arthropods are raised on
special ranches for collectors. None are taken from the wild, and
none are endangered. Due to the nature of real specimens, most items are made upon order.
Please allow 3 to 6 weeks for
delivery for all real specimens. Certain specimens are only
available seasonally.
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