Butterflies
Costa Rica has a great
diversity of butterflies. Of the 20,000 butterfly species worldwide,
approximately 1,000 can be found in Costa Rica!
photo M. Noonan
These insects have
compound eyes made of thousands of segments that allow them to look
in all directions at once! They also have fragile wings that can be
worn or damaged by predators. Despite the loss of wing mass, the
insect can continue to fly and navigate with the help of the
balancing abilities of the antennae. Butterflies do not have teeth,
instead they use a tube-like structure, called a proboscis, to feed
on nectar, mud, and sap.
photo M. Noonan |
photo M. Noonan |
The female butterfly
lays up to 100 eggs in her lifetime on plants. These eggs develop
into a larvae stage (caterpillar stage) and later into a pupa stage.
Finally, different parts of the body transform into butterfly
anatomy.
photo M. Noonan |
Butterflies have various
body defense mechanisms to survive in the tropics. Brightly colored
butterflies are commonly “bad tasting” to predators and contain
toxins. Body coloration and patterns may also be used to distract
predators or to blend in with the environment.
In Costa Rica, one
commonly sees species including the Blue Morpho and other colorful
butterflies.
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