Cool Facts About Butterflies. Did You Know?

• There are 20,000 butterfly species around the world, 725 of which can be found in the United States
• Monarch butterflies are the most widely known butterfly
• Monarch butterflies migrate to get away from the cold. They are the only insect that migrates an average of 2,500 miles to find a warmer climate
• Many butterflies taste with their feet. The Monarch will scratch the surface of the host plant with its feet to make sure it is the proper plant to feed its caterpillars before they lay their eggs on it
• Butterflies only weigh as much as two rose petals but can fly thousands of miles
• The easiest way to tell the difference between a moth and a butterfly is that all butterflies have simple antennae that end in a swelling or “club”
• Butterflies live in all different habitats from mountains to coastal areas to grassy plains
• Antarctica is the only continent on which there are no butterflies
• Butterflies wingspan ranges from ½ an inch to almost 12 inches
• The largest butterfly in the world is the Queen Alexandra Birdwing and the largest in the USA is the Giant Swallowtail
• Butterflies cannot hear, but they do feel vibration
• Many butterflies only live 1-2 weeks, but this varies by type of butterfly with some like the Zebra Longwing (our state butterfly) living much longer
• Butterflies do not grow once they come out of the chrysalis
• The top speed for most butterflies is ~12 miles per hour. The fastest butterflies are skippers which have been clocked at over 35 miles per hour
• Some caterpillars have special ways to help protect and ward off predators, including secreting poison, looking frightening, and camouflaging themselves (by resembling plant parts and bird droppings)
• Many butterflies have evolved to copy the appearance of another object such as a leaf and others camouflage into their natural habitat so well that it makes it very difficult for predators to find them. 

Source: EcoWatch; Learnaboutbutterflies.com