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Lepidoptera detachment, which is well known to us under the name of butterflies, gathered in itself the most amazing representatives of the insect class. The beauty of these creatures forced many people on the planet to admire them. The butterfly admiral is not an exception - the brightest example of the nymphalida family.
Usually the attention of many people is attracted by the distinctive sea, partly the male name of a fragile and delicate insect. The history of its occurrence has a close relationship with mythology. It is known that the famous scientist Karl Linney was the first to discover a butterfly of this species. The insect discovered by him was named Vanessa Atlanta, after the name of the daughter of one of the heroes of Ancient Greece Shaneya. She was famous for her beauty, athletic physique and excellent abilities in running. According to legend, Scheeni wanted only male offspring, so he ordered the born girl to be thrown into the abyss from a high mountain.Most of the life of the surviving girl was spent in the forest and was filled with incredible adventures and trials. So, thanks to the biological discoveries of the researcher of the Renaissance, her name was perpetuated not only in ancient Greek mythology, but also on the pages of textbooks.
Speaking about the origin of the name admiral, which is widespread today, it is worth mentioning two stories. The first is related to the translation of a word from Turkish. Meaning “owning the sea”, it seems inappropriate for a butterfly found in land areas. However, scientists caution us and ask us not to make hasty conclusions. Since today the ability of a butterfly to make long flights, which are sometimes laid through sea spaces, is fixed. The second version is more poetic. It is caused by the similarity of diagonal contrasting red stripes caught by people, located on a dark background of the wing, with ribbons of uniforms of the leaders of the navy.
Butterfly description
The life of the admiral butterfly is consonant with the unusualness of the name that it bears.However, we will definitely return to this issue later. Now we need to give an answer to the other - how does the butterfly admiral look?
The wingspan of an admiral butterfly is on average 6 cm. Sometimes you can see light spots at the top of the wings, consisting of three connected small ones. They are surrounded by specks of light shades of indefinite, varying from time to time form. The color of the edges and the inside of the wings is brown. Acting as a contrasting background, he clearly highlights other details of the decoration.Such, for example, are the scattering of rings of aquamarine color or a sash that runs diagonally and is painted in bright scarlet and orange colors. The same line as if continues on the hind wings of the insect, rim passing along their outer edges. The corners of the rear wings are decorated with bluish ovals, outlined with a black rim. A close look at the back of the admiral butterfly wings will make new interesting discoveries. So, we will see that their entire area is decorated with a mosaic of various colored pieces: white and red, brown and gray.
The body of the butterfly is painted in dark colors, ranging from dark shades of brown to black. Perfectly distinguishing the smallest light oscillations and objects in the environment, the eyes of the insect are located on the lateral parts of the head in the form of hemispheres. Such an optical fad, granted to nature by the butterfly, allows you to visually perceive the amount of space without having to turn a slow-moving head or eyes. Butterflies perceive different colors, among which are blue, green, yellow. The well-known exception to this ability is red, since they are not able to notice it.
The eyes of the butterfly are protected by small hairs.They have a mustache on their forehead with a slight increase at the end, playing the role of an important sense organ for the insect. With the help of whiskers, they are able to distinguish odors from a distance. At the bottom of the head is the proboscis, which performs the function of the mouth. If it does not work and is not busy with important business, then it will rest, curled up in the form of a spiral.
The chest part includes three divisions, each of which is equipped with the limbs necessary for movement. Forelegs have hair. It is important for touch. The admiral's large butterfly wings allow her to cover sufficient distances. Insect flies in order to find a more suitable habitat for themselves. So, often representatives of this species can be attributed to the migratory.
Butterfly distribution area
The habitat of the insect is Eurasia (its part outside the tropics), islands on the coast of the Atlantic, as well as the northern part of Africa, Canada and the United States. Wherever the butterfly is located, it will in any case go on a wintering trip to the southern parts of its habitat.That is why this species is characterized by migration, forcing individuals to overcome great distances. Scientists emphasize that often butterflies admirals reach places where not every bird is able to fly. It is impossible to deny the death of many of them, overtaking individuals during migration. However, the most enduring manages to achieve the goal, to make a calculation, and with a sense of the duty to die, executed by nature. The offspring that has emerged into the world and which has grown strong afterwards is usually sent back in a year. Part of the population does not leave the habitat for wintering, but tries to find a secluded place in the cracks or under the bark. The awakening of the spring sun becomes a signal to leave the shelter. The color of individuals who survived the test of overwintering is often brighter and more colorful than those who only appeared to the world.
Migrations of butterflies lead to the fact that the population size in some areas is quite variable: some individuals leave one territory, which leads to a decrease in indicators in this place, but flies to another, where the numbers increase significantly.
In our country, insects live in the forests of the central regions and northwest Karelia, as well as in the eastern part of the Caucasus, the Urals.If an individual lives in the mountains, then it can be seen at an altitude of 2.5 km to 2.7 km. She lives on forest edges or mountain meadows, she can be met both on the side of a highway and in wild lakes and rivers. In August, the butterfly admiral does not deprive his attention of over-ripe berries and fruits, so gardeners admire the beautiful creation on the trunks of plums and pears grown by them. It is one of the small number of those Lepidoptera, which can be seen among the last before the coming cold autumn weather. She reaches for the light of the lights and the sweet nectar of flowers on warm summer days. Therefore, the mild European winter misleads elegant butterflies, because they can wake up earlier than expected and die due to the sudden sunny days in the middle of the cold season.
Butterfly species
There are two variants of the color of individuals of this species. Each of them is characteristic of a particular subspecies. The first is an insect called the red admiral butterfly, the hallmark of which is an orange band on black wings.The second species is the white butterfly general. Its color is characterized by black and white hues. Evolutionary processes and the need to defend against predators gave individuals a similar masking version of color. In addition, the butterflies of this subspecies are distinguished by their uniqueness and surprisingness of inappropriate flight: they are replaced by powerful strokes frozen in the air.
The admiral moths also have a kindred species - a burdock or strep thistle, often called the pink admiral. They are similar in size as well as behavior and distribution. The color of the representatives of this species is distinguished by an orange-pink range of decor shades.
The butterfly admiral is one of the most unique and unique species on the territory of Eurasia. In order that the number of individuals does not decrease, biologists call for the adoption of important conservation measures. Not new information on making the species in the Red Book. The rarity of an insect is due to the thoughtless and massive destruction of forests, the widespread use of harmful substances and compounds that pollute the nature.
How does a butterfly live and what does it eat?
What feeds the butterfly admiral itself? When it appears to the world in the form of a caterpillar, it feeds on nettles, thistles and many other plants. Interestingly, the leaves are important for the insect during this period, both as a means of sustenance and as a means of protection.Turning into a butterfly, she begins to eat the nectar of flowers. By the end of the summer, fruits and berries become a delicacy for her.
Reproduction is an important part of the life of any organism. Butterflies - insects with a full cycle of transformation. It begins with the laying of eggs, from which the larvae are born. Subsequently, they turn into pupae, from which an adult individual emerges. The display is carried out by the female, conquered during the mating period by the male.
Video: Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)
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