Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). More than 180,000 species of Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, making it the second-largest order in the insect world.

Description and features

Lepidoptera are morphologically distinguished from other orders principally by the presence of scales on the external parts of the body and appendages, especially the wings. Butterflies and moths vary in size from microlepidoptera only a few millimetres long, to large hawkmoths and swallowtail butterflies several centimetres in length.

Life cycle

The life cycle of Lepidoptera consists of four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (imago). The larvae, or caterpillars, are often considered pests in agriculture. Many species are economically important as pests of crops and stored products, including the codling moth, which damages apples, and the bollworm, which damages cotton.

Classification

The order Lepidoptera is divided into several suborders, superfamilies, and families. The largest family is the Noctuidae, or owlet moths, with about 20,000 species, followed by the Geometridae, or inchworms, with about 15,000 species.

Conservation

Many species of Lepidoptera are under threat of extinction due to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Conservation efforts are being made worldwide to protect these beautiful and important creatures.

See also

• Butterfly
• Moth
• Insect
• Entomology

External links

• Lepidoptera Research Foundation

Lepidoptera Resources
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