Butterfly 2012 Geocoin

To travel the world educating cachers about butterflies.

Butterflies are the adult flying stage of certain insects belonging to an order or group called Lepidoptera.   The word "Lepidoptera" means "scaly wings" in Greek.  This name perfectly suits the insects in this group because their wings are covered with thousands of tiny scales overlapping in rows which are arranged in colorful designs.

The larval or caterpillar stage and the adult butterfly have very different food preferences, largely due to the differences in their mouth parts.  Both types of foods must be available in order for the butterfly to complete its life cycle. 

Caterpillars are very particular about what they eat, which is why the female butterfly lays her eggs only on certain plants.  She instinctively knows what plants will serve as suitable food for the hungry caterpillars that hatch from her eggs.  Caterpillars don't move much and may spend their entire lives on the same plant or even the same leaf! Their primary goal is to eat as much as they can so that they become large enough to pupate.  Caterpillars have chewing mouth parts, called mandibles, which enable them to eat leaves and other plant parts.  Some caterpillars are considered pests because of the damage they do to crops.  Caterpillars do not need to drink additional water because they get all they need from the plants they eat. 

Adult butterflies are also selective about what they eat.  Unlike caterpillars, butterflies can roam about and look for suitable food over a much broader territory.  In most cases, adult butterflies are able to feed only on various liquids.  They drink through a tube-like tongue called a proboscis.  It uncoils to sip liquid food, and then coils up again into a spiral when the butterfly is not feeding.  Most butterflies prefer flower nectar, but others may feed on the liquids found in rotting fruit, in ooze from trees, and in animal dung.  Butterflies prefer to feed in sunny areas protected from wind. 

Butterflies are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature.  As a result, their body temperature changes with the temperature of their surroundings.  If they get too cold, they are unable to fly and must warm up their muscles in order to resume flight.  Butterflies can fly as long as the air is between 60°-108°F, although temperatures between 82°-100°F are best.  If the temperature drops too low, they may seek a light colored rock, sand or a leaf in a sunny spot and bask.  Butterflies bask with their wings spread out in order to soak up the sun's heat. 

When butterflies get too hot, they may head for shade or for cool areas like puddles.  Some species will gather at shallow mud puddles or wet sandy areas, sipping the mineral-rich water.  Generally more males than females puddle and it is believed that the salts and nutrients in the puddles are needed for successful mating. 

There are two methods that a male butterfly might use in order to search for a female mate.  It might patrol or fly over a particular area where other butterflies are active.  If it sees a possible mate, it will fly in for a closer look.  Or, instead, it might perch on a tall plant in an area where females may be present.  If it spots a likely mate, it will swoop in to investigate.  In either case, if he finds a suitable female he will begin the mating ritual.  If he finds another male instead, a fierce fight may ensue. 

Another way that butterflies can escape cold weather is by migrating to a warmer region. Some migrating butterflies, such as the painted lady and cabbage butterfly, fly only a few hundred miles, while others, such as the monarch, travel thousands of miles.
Monarchs are considered the long-distance champions of butterfly migration, traveling as many as 4000 miles round trip. They begin their flight before the autumn cold sets in, heading south from Canada and the northern United States. Monarchs migrate to the warmer climates of California, Florida and Mexico, making the trip in two months or less and feeding on nectar along the way. Once arriving at their southern destination, they will spend the winter resting for the return flight. Few of the original adults actually complete the trip home. Instead, the females mate and lay eggs along the way and their offspring finish this incredible journey.

This TB has been missing for over a year so I am giving it a new life.  It has been replaced with a wooden tag with the same tracking number and a photo tag of the original TB to enable it to travel again.