News tagged with butterflies
Low oxygen triggers moth molt
A new explanation for one of nature's most mysterious processes, the transformation of caterpillars into moths or butterflies, might best be described as breathless.
Aug 22, 2011 |
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Butterfly study sheds light on convergent evolution
For 150 years scientists have been trying to explain convergent evolution. One of the best-known examples of this is how poisonous butterflies from different species evolve to mimic each other's color patterns – in effect ...
Jul 21, 2011 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
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Wildflower colors tell butterflies how to do their jobs
(PhysOrg.com) -- The recipe for making one species into two requires time and some kind of separation, like being on different islands or something else that discourages gene flow between the two budding species.
Jan 09, 2011 |
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When it's cool, female butterflies chase males in sex role reversal
If you want to be surrounded by females on the prowl, it pays to be cool, at least if you are a male butterfly.
Jan 06, 2011 |
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From butterflies' wings to bank notes -- how nature's colors could cut bank fraud
Scientists have discovered a way of mimicking the stunningly bright and beautiful colours found on the wings of tropical butterflies. The findings could have important applications in the security printing ...
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
May 30, 2010 |
4.7 / 5 (11) |
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Artificial butterfly in flight and filmed (w/ Video)
A group of Japanese researchers, who publish their findings today in Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, have succeeded in building a fully functional replica model - an ornithopter - of a swallowtail butterfly, and they have f ...
Technology / Hi Tech & Innovation
May 20, 2010 |
4.9 / 5 (13) |
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Caught in the act: Scientists find butterflies splitting into two species
(PhysOrg.com) -- Breaking up may actually not be hard to do, say scientists who've found a population of tropical butterflies that may be on its way to a split into two distinct species.
Nov 05, 2009 |
4.5 / 5 (8) |
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Migrating monarch butterflies 'nose' their way to Mexico
The annual migration of monarch butterflies from across eastern North America to a specific grove of fir trees in Mexico has long fascinated scientists who have sought to understand just how these delicate ...
Sep 24, 2009 |
3.8 / 5 (4) |
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Gourmet butterflies speed north: study
A new study led by scientists in the Department of Biology at the University of York has shown how a butterfly has changed its diet, and consequently has sped northwards in response to climate change. Their study is published ...
May 24, 2012 |
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Synthetic scent hounds: Nanostructured sensor for detection of very low concentrations of explosive
To prevent terrorist attacks at airports, it would be helpful to detect extremely low concentrations of explosives easily and reliably. Despite the development of various sensor technologies, dogs continue ...
May 18, 2012 |
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Separate species, shared genomes: Butterfly genome reveals promiscuous sharing of large regions of DNA code
A landmark effort to sequence the genome of a South American butterfly has revealed the key behind its unusual ability to mimic other butterflies.
May 16, 2012 |
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Study finds that mild winters are detrimental to butterflies
The recent mild winter throughout much of the United States was a cause for celebration for many. However, butterfly aficionados shouldn't be joining in the celebration.
Apr 20, 2012 |
5 / 5 (3) |
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Butterfly wings' 'art of blackness' could boost production of green fuels
Butterfly wings may rank among the most delicate structures in nature, but they have given researchers powerful inspiration for new technology that doubles production of hydrogen gas — a green fuel of the future — ...
Mar 26, 2012 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
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Entomologist team discovers reason behind passion-vine butterfly congregation tendencies
(PhysOrg.com) -- Susan Finkbeiner, entomologist and graduate student at the University of California Irvine and colleagues Adriana Briscoe and Robert Reed have discovered the reason behind the passion-vine ...
Mar 22, 2012 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
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Ant identification boosts blue butterflies
Scientists have developed a fast, cheap and reliable technique that vastly improves the chances of successfully reintroducing the endangered large blue butterfly to the UK.
Mar 05, 2012 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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Butterfly
A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so they regularly attract attention. The diverse patterns formed by their brightly coloured wings and their erratic yet graceful flight have made butterfly watching a hobby.
Butterflies comprise the true butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea), the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea). Butterflies exhibit polymorphism, mimicry and aposematism. Some migrate over long distances. Some butterflies have evolved symbiotic and parasitic relationships with social insects such as ants. Butterflies are important economically as agents of pollination. In addition, a few species are pests, because they can damage domestic crops and trees in their larval stage.
Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.
For more information about Butterfly, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
