Butterflies

Butterflies are one of the most beautiful insects. There are many different kinds of them and they all have different characteristics that make them unique. Butterflies of various species can be found on every continent. This website will concentrate on five of the many different species that exist.

Monarch butterflies are the most common North-American butterflies. Monarch butterflies are very colorful so that they scare away potential predators. Monarchs are especially known for their migration patterns. They migrate great distances from August to October.
Peacock butterflies are found mostly in Europe and Asia. They are about two inches wide from wing to wing and are most easily identified by the beautiful eye pattern on its wings. They got their name because the spots on its wings are reminiscent of peacocks’ patterns. Peacock butterflies are the most common seen in parks and gardens in Europe.
Painted Lady butterflies are the most widespread of all butterflies. They are found on every continent in the world. These butterflies are usually identified by the black and white corners on its mainly orange wings.
Xerces Blue butterflies are now extinct. They used to live near the coast in the San Francisco area. They became extinct because of a loss of habitat caused by urban development. The last time these butterflies were seen was either in 1941 or 1943. Their cousins, the Palos Verdes Blue and the Silvery Blue are still alive.
Gulf Fritillary butterflies are usually seen over the Gulf of Mexico and are commonly seen in parks and gardens. They are a larger species of butterfly, with a wingspan of 6 to 9.5 cm.

To learn more about the different kinds of butterflies, visit Wikipedia’s site about them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly#Classification

This page was created by Megan Russell

Date last modified: November 13, 2005