The Order Lepidoptera
The order Lepidoptera includes butterflies and moths.
The adult stage (imago) is commonly called a butterfly or moth, the larva is known as a caterpillar, and the pupa as a chrysalis.
This insect order includes over 150,000 described species (nearly 7,000 in Europe).
They are characterized by wings covered with microscopic scales, which give their wings color and texture.
Their life cycle comprises four distinct stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult. These are insects with complete metamorphosis.
They possess a coiled proboscis (spiral tongue) used to feed on flower nectar.
Lepidoptera were historically divided into two main subgroups: butterflies (Rhopalocera) and moths (Heterocera). While still in use, this distinction is no longer scientifically accurate since some “butterflies” are active at night and some “moths” fly during the day.
Butterflies play an important role in ecosystems as pollinators, contributing to the reproduction of flowering plants. Their beauty and behavior continue to captivate us.
Characteristics
- Two pairs of wings covered in pigmented microscopic scales
- Coiled proboscis in adults (except a few), adapted for suction
- Antennae variable: filiform, clubbed, or feathered
- Complete metamorphosis (holometabolous): egg → caterpillar → chrysalis → adult
- Diurnal or nocturnal flight depending on the group
Habitat
Lepidoptera colonize:
- All terrestrial habitats: forests, meadows, mountains, wetlands, arid zones
- Cultivated fields, gardens, fallows, human-altered areas
- From the Arctic to the tropics
Biology
- Eggs laid on or near specific host plants
- Plant-feeding caterpillars, sometimes leaf miners, stem borers, urticating, or gregarious
- Chrysalis or pupa free or enclosed in a cocoon
- Life cycle duration highly variable (weeks to years)
- Some adults do not feed (e.g., silk moths), others are nectar feeders
Major groups (representative superfamilies)
- Papilionoidea – True butterflies (diurnal, clubbed antennae)
- Noctuoidea, Geometroidea, Pyraloidea – Diverse night-flying moths
- Bombycoidea, Sphingoidea, Zygaenoidea, Hepialoidea – Often stout or primitive moths
- Tortricoidea, Gelechioidea, Tineoidea – Small moths, sometimes pests or inconspicuous
- Hesperioidea – Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Notable species
- Papilio machaon – Old World Swallowtail: iconic of flower-rich open areas
- Vanessa atalanta – Red Admiral: a common migrant
- Noctua pronuba – Large Yellow Underwing: very frequent nocturnal moth
- Cossus cossus, Saturnia pyri, Zygaena filipendulae – Illustrate the variety of shapes and lifestyles
Special features
- Major ecological importance: pollination, biomass in the food chain
- Great morphological and behavioral diversity
- Species serve as biodiversity and climate change indicators
- Many interactions with humans: silk production, agriculture, folklore, evolutionary studies
Superfamilies:
Butterfly families encountered:
References
- lepido.ch, Swiss butterfly reference website