Introduction
Butterflies are beautiful insects. They fly around beautiful flowers. All around the garden we see a lot of butterflies flying. They keep sitting on different colourful flowers. Some are red in colour, some are yellow, some are blue, some are pink, and some are colourful. Let us see the facts about butterflies for kids.
A Butterfly
They suck the tasty nectar from the flowers. The nectar is their food for all times. They are found in varied shapes and sizes. They have four wings but people misunderstood them as two. Butterflies have very light wings and once caught you can see the print of their colour on your hands. Let us learn about butterflies in detail.
Body Parts of a Butterfly
Body parts of butterflies consist of the abdomen, wings, antenna, thorax, eyes, hind wing, wing veins, etc. The abdomen is the centre part of a butterfly’s body which is like the front part of a human’s body.
Body Parts of a Butterfly
Over the abdomen, antennas of butterflies are there with their eyes. The proboscis is the uppermost part of a butterfly’s body. The wings in the upper body are called wing veins and the wings in the lower part are called hind wings. This is an important topic in butterfly research for kids.
How Does a Butterfly Give Birth?
An adult butterfly lays eggs when it reaches a certain period. The eggs of the butterflies are then transformed into caterpillars or larva. Over a period of time, the caterpillar is transformed into the pupa whose scientific name is Chrysalis. The final stage is when the pupa is transformed into a butterfly. Butterflies then reach an adult age where they lay eggs again.
What Do Butterflies Eat?
All the butterflies have tongues called Proboscis. They use their tongue to suck nectar from the plants. There are some butterflies which get their food from tree sap. Some survive through rotten animals also. They cannot suck solid material because their tongues are not capable of doing so. Columbine, Orange, Milkweed, Clover, Zinnia, Daisy, Mud, Puddles, etc. are some of the plants which have nectar in them. Butterflies drink water through the same process only. They suck the water and other liquids through their tongue only. This is important information on butterflies.
How Do Butterflies Sleep?
Butterflies never sleep in their lifetime. The process of their sleeping is called Quiescent. They do rest for a bit but they never sleep. The reason they do not sleep is that they do not have eyelids. They cannot close their eyes. They find bushes or a safe place to rest at night or during cold times. Butterflies need heat also to gather energy to roam around all day.
Why are Butterflies So Colourful?
Butterflies have the most vibrant colours of all time. They are very beautiful, attractive, and colourful. The butterflies have two kinds of colours called pigmented colours and structural colours. They absorb light and wavelengths which help to have different colours. They also switch places to warmer areas where they get more heat as cold seasons do not affect them.
Conclusion
Butterflies are beautiful insects and can be seen in different colours. They are vibrant and attractive. Butterflies lay eggs when they become adults. They go through a whole birth cycle to become a butterfly. Butterflies suck nectar from the plants and they also suck liquid and water as well. They find warm areas to rest as they do not sleep.
FAQs on Butterfly for Kids
1. Do butterflies sleep at all?
Butterflies do not sleep at all, they only take rest. Their bodies require rest because they fly all day in search of food. Butterflies do not have eyelids as well that is why they cannot close their eyes. They gather energy by taking a rest in warmer places. They spend all their energy wandering around different gardens. They sit on different flowers and leaves. They suck nectar from the flowers. That is why they require time to rest. Hence, butterflies do not sleep.
2. Describe the birth process of a butterfly.
There is a cycle that a butterfly follows during its birth process. The first step is when a butterfly lays eggs when it reaches its adult age. The next step is when the eggs of the butterflies are transformed into caterpillars or larva. Over a period of time, the caterpillar is transformed into the pupa whose scientific name is Chrysalis. The final stage is when the pupa is transformed into a butterfly. Butterflies then reach an adult age where they lay eggs again.
