Butterflies and Moths (British)Furneaux, William S.
Science
Butterflies and Moths (British)
Furneaux, William S.
Butterflies -- Great Britain; Moths -- Great Britain
In the above few remarks we have alluded to some features by which the
two great groups of the _Lepidoptera_ may be distinguished; but we have
already referred (page 5) to a far more important one in our description
of the various forms of antennae. All butterflies--at least all _British_
butterflies--have knobbed or clubbed antennae, while the corresponding
organs of all our moths terminate in a sharp point.
This distinction obtains in all British _Lepidoptera_, and is so far
regarded as the most important basis of classification that naturalists
have derived from it the two Greek terms that are synonymous with our
two popular names--butterflies and moths. The scientific name for the
former group is _Rhopalocera_--a term derived from two Greek words, one
signifying a horn, and the other a club, and thus meaning 'club-horned.'
The corresponding name for moths is _Heterocera_, derived from the same
source, and meaning 'variously horned.'
But, although we find embodied in these two long and formidable names an
unerring mark of distinction between British butterflies and moths, we
must not neglect other less important facts which, though less
distinctive, are not without interest.
Observe a butterfly at rest. Its wings are turned vertically over its
back, and brought so closely together that they often touch. In this
position the 'upper' surfaces of the 'upper' wings are completely hidden
from view, and the 'under' surfaces are exposed on the two sides,
except that those of the 'upper' pair are partly hidden by the other
pair.
Now look at a moth under the same circumstances, and you will generally
find the wings lying over its body, which is almost or completely hidden
beneath them. As a rule the upper pair together form a triangular
figure, and entirely cover the second pair; but in some cases a portion
of each of the under wings extends beyond the margin of those above
them, and in others the upper pair extend so far forward that nearly the
whole of the under wings is exposed behind them.
[Illustration: FIG. 37.--A BUTTERFLY AT REST (LARGE COPPER).]
[Illustration: FIG. 38.--A MOTH AT REST (GOTHIC).]
Again, the wings of butterflies are so rigid that they can never be
folded; but you will observe that the under wings of moths are generally
very thin, soft, and pliant, and are neatly pleated lengthwise when not
in use.
Another feature deserving notice is a slight difference to be often
observed in the form of the body. The butterfly, which generally has a
slender body, has a distinct constriction or waist between the thorax
and abdomen. This is not so apparent with moths, and especially with the
thick-bodied species.
The _Rhopalocera_ or Butterflies are divided into _Families_, each of
which contains insects that possess certain features in common by which
they may all be distinguished from the members of any other family.
The British species represent eight families. They are as follows:
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