A Students' Guide to Butterflies

A Students Guide to Butterflies

Index of Modules

Module 1	Butterfly Physiology
Module 2	Reproduction
Module 3	Larvae Stage
Module 4	Pupa Stage
Module 5	Relationship to Plants
Module 6	Defense Mechanisms
Module 7	Differences Between Moths and a Butterflies

Introduction

The purpose of this Student/Teacher Guide is to help teachers organize information into a useful format for presentation. The guide is broken down into four modules that introduce the topics of butterfly physiology and life cycle. In addition, there are three modules included to help the students better understand the general ecological relationships that butterflies have with their environments. Found within the modules are also pieces of information which pertain to the farming of butterflies, located at the end of the module.

Although this guide is ideal for students older than 8 eight years old, it can be modified to work for students of all ages. It is meant to be used in conjunction with the glossary of terms and the frequently asked questions provided in this website. Below are some important concepts which a teacher should keep in mind while presenting these modules. They are general concepts which explain many of the frequently asked questions by students and teachers alike. ENJOY!

Important Concepts

Butterflies are insects, and because of this share the essential characteristics which all insects share: six legs and three body segments.
Butterflies pass through four stages of development throughout their life cycle: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult.
The two stages of the butterfly in which they are visibly active and feeding, the larvae and the adult, are functionally very different from each other. The job of the larvae is to eat and grow, while the job of the adult is to mate and reproduce.
Butterflies in the wild have an incredibly high mortality rate- 98%. This is because they are primary consumers and are eaten by a very large number of predators. With this in mind, we can say that most of the unusual characteristics, colors, and structures on butterflies have some reason for existing in order to protect the butterfly from its predators. These we call defense mechanisms. Therefore, most questions on characteristics beginning with why can be answered with this in mind.
Like all other living organisms which we classify as wildlife, butterflies are very dependent on certain types of plants and habitats in order to survive. But in the case of butterflies this relationship is often incredibly specific. Since butterflies have very specific relationships with their host plants, the protecting of plants and natural habitats in the wild is essential for their survival. In order to conserve butterflies, we must conserve their habitat.

This information is provided by Evan Fitzgerald, who was an intern at The Butterfly Farm in 1999. Evan graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science in May 1998. Evan can be reached at: evan@butterflyfarm.co.cr

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