Knowra Lepidoptera Lepidoptera Lepidoptera is an insect order comprising butterflies and moths. Adults typically have wings covered in tiny scales, and their larvae are commonly called caterpillars.
Insect : An arthropod with a body divided into head, thorax, and abdomen, three pairs of legs, and usually one or two pairs of wings. Lepidoptera is one order within this larger animal class.
Lepidopteran wing : A membranous insect wing covered with rows of overlapping scales and supported by branching veins. Its scales produce much of the adult’s visible color and pattern.
Silk : A strong natural protein fiber produced by certain animals, including the silkworm moth larva. Silkworm cocoons supply the principal natural silk used in textiles.
Monarch butterfly : A milkweed-feeding butterfly of the Americas known for long-distance seasonal migration. Its migration and chemical defense make it a prominent butterfly case.
Scale (insect anatomy) : A tiny, flattened, often pigmented or transparent structure covering the wings and body of many insects. Overlapping scales give lepidopteran wings their characteristic colors and patterns.
Pupa : The transformation stage between larva and adult in insects with complete metamorphosis. A lepidopteran pupa houses the reorganization from caterpillar to winged insect.
Silkworm : The domesticated larva of the silk moth, Bombyx mori, raised for silk production. Its cocoon is harvested for continuous silk filaments.
Luna moth : A large North American silk moth with pale green wings and long hindwing tails. Its adult form illustrates striking moth wing patterns and reduced feeding.
Caterpillar : The larval stage of a butterfly or moth, typically with a segmented body, chewing mouthparts, and several pairs of prolegs. This familiar larval form precedes the pupal and adult stages.
Ecdysis : The shedding of an insect’s outer cuticle as it grows or changes developmental stage. Caterpillars molt repeatedly, and the final larval molt forms the pupa.
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