Lepidoptera

walwyn Fri, 04/10/2009 - 11:15
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Gatekeeper(Pyronia tithonus) butterfly lepidoptera
Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

 

An order of insects that consists of the Moths and Butterflies. The scientific name Lepidoptera derives from the two Greek words for scale (lepis) and wing (pteron), due to the fact that their wings are covered with tiny pigmented scales. The lifecycle of Lepidoptera has four distinct stages: egg; caterpillar or larvae; pupa or chrysalis; imago, or adult.

 

The eggs can be round, oval, cylindrical, or conical in shape. Some are smooth but many are ribbed. Most Lepidoptera eggs are semi-transparent and as they reach maturity the larvae can be seen coiled up inside. The eggs have few predators, except for the parasitic wasps of the Proctotrupidae family, which lay their eggs on or in the eggs of other species.

 

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