What is the name of the person who deals with butterflies. Interesting facts about butterflies. Many butterflies have earned a place in the Red Book only because of their incredibly beautiful color, and some of these creatures are pests for agricultural

Butterflies are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful creatures nature. Multicolored, fragile and impetuous, they are able to revive the most dull landscape. Their fluttering tells us that the cold has finally ended, and nature has awakened to life again. In many countries, butterflies are considered symbols of romantic relationships.

In terms of biology, butterflies are one of the most common types of insects. They can be found almost everywhere, with the exception of the harsh Antarctica. Two species of butterflies are found even in Greenland. These creatures are familiar to everyone, but it's always good to learn something new, even about a well-known subject.

1. A lepidopterologist is not a doctor of some rare specialization, but a scientist who studies butterflies. The corresponding branch of entomology is called lepidopterology. The name is derived from the ancient Greek words "scales" and "wing" - according to the biological classification, butterflies are Lepidoptera.

2. Butterflies are one of the most diverse representatives of insects. About 160,000 of their species have already been described, and scientists believe that tens of thousands of species have not yet come across their eyes.

3. In England, at the end of the last century, a butterfly was found, whose age is estimated at 185 million years.

4. The size of butterflies in terms of wingspan varies over a very wide range - from 3.2 mm to 28 cm.

5. Most butterflies feed on the nectar of flowers. There are species that eat pollen, juices, including rotten fruits, and other decay products. There are several species that do not feed at all - for a short life, such butterflies have enough food accumulated when they were caterpillars. In Asia, there are butterflies that feed on the blood of animals.

6. Pollination flowering plants- the main benefit that butterflies bring. But there are pests among them, and, as a rule, these are the species with the brightest color.

7. Despite the very complex structure of the eye (up to 27,000 components), butterflies are short-sighted, they do not distinguish colors and motionless objects.

8. Butterfly wings are transparent. The scales attached to them are colored, which improve the flight qualities of Lepidoptera.

9. Butterflies do not have hearing organs, but they are good at capturing surface and air vibrations with the help of antennae located on their heads. Butterflies smell with their antennae.

10. Butterfly mating involves flying dances and other forms of courtship. Females attract males with pheromones. The scent of a female Imperial moth can be smelled by males from several kilometers away. Mating itself can last several hours.

11. Butterflies lay a lot of eggs, but only a few of them survive. If everyone survived, there would be no place left on Earth for other creatures. The offspring of one cabbage lady would exceed the weight of all people three times.

12. In mid-latitudes, up to three life cycles of butterflies take place per year. IN tropical climate up to 10 generations appear per year.

13. Butterflies do not have a skeleton in the usual sense. The role of the support is performed by a rigid outer shell torso. At the same time, this exoskeleton does not allow the butterfly to lose moisture.

14. About 250 species of butterflies are migratory. The length of their migration route can be thousands of kilometers. At the same time, in some species, offspring bred in places of migration independently get to the places of permanent residence, from where their parents flew away. The mechanism of transmission of "traffic information" is still unknown to scientists.

15. Butterflies are widely known to mimic to escape predators. To do this, they use color (the notorious "eyes" on the wings) or smell. Less well known is that some butterflies have small hairs on their bodies and wings designed to absorb and scatter the ultrasound that the bats published in search of prey. And butterflies of the Ursa species can generate clicks that knock down the mouse “radar” signal.

16. In Japan, a pair of paper butterflies is a must for a wedding. In China, this insect is both considered a symbol of love and family happiness and enjoy eating.

17. Back in the 19th century, butterflies became popular collectibles. Now the world's largest collection of butterflies in the Thomas Witt Museum in Munich has more than 10 million butterflies. The largest collection in Russia is the collection of the Zoological Institute. The first butterflies in this collection appeared under Peter the Great (then it was the Kunstkamera), and today the collection has 6 million copies.

18. Famous butterfly collectors were Baron Walter Rothschild, Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, writers Mikhail Bulgakov and Vladimir Nabokov.

19. If there are collectors, there must be a market for butterflies, but information about their sales is rather scarce. It is mentioned that in 2006 at one of the American auctions a butterfly was sold for 28 thousand dollars. Indirectly, the cost of butterflies can be indicated by the fact that dozens of people perish every year hunting for rare butterflies in the jungles of North and Central America.

20. The late Korean leader Kim Il Sung received a painting composed of several million butterflies for one of his anniversaries. Despite the rather romantic manner of execution, the canvas was created by the military and was called "The Selfless Faith of a Soldier."

Butterflies are beautiful creatures. I think everyone knows what a butterfly looks like and probably met this terrible beast =)

These unique creations are the second largest pollinators after bees.

The science that studies butterflies is called lepidopterology. An entomologist who studies butterflies is called a lepidopterist (from Latin name order of butterflies - Lepidoptera, which translates as "lepidoptera"). A lepidopterist is a person who is simply fond of butterflies.

The largest moth in the world - This is the peacock-eye Atlas (Attacus Atlas). Its wingspan is over 30 cm and it is often mistaken for a bird.

Basically, most butterflies have short life– just a few days. However, there are instances with rather long life cycle: The Brixton butterfly is long-lived, its cycle lasts up to 10 months.

A female butterfly can lay over 1,000 eggs in her short life.

Butterflies literally work wonders. The species Parnassius arcticus lives in Siberia near the Arctic Circle. It flies to places where snow and ice never melt. Its close relative Parnassius bannyngtoni from the Himalayas is the highest mountain butterfly in the world. It can be found, rising even 6000 meters above sea level.

In the pigeon butterfly (Zizula hylax), which lives in Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Arabia and tropical zone Asia and Australia, the length of the forewing is 6 mm. This is the smallest butterfly in the world.

In addition to what we are used to tropical butterflies, there are still arctic butterflies. They are inconspicuous in appearance, their wings are not bright, but whitish or almost transparent, as if glass. Several species of butterflies that live on the Canadian island of Queen Elizabeth, 750 kilometers from the North Pole, can be called real polar explorers.

The maximum speed this little creature can reach is 12 miles per hour, but there are species that reach the mark of 50 km/h (31 mph). The fastest flight of butterflies of the hawk family.

by the most amazing fact about these creatures is that butterflies need solar heat in order to fly.

The most common butterfly in Russia and Siberia is the Peacock eye. Due to its original pattern, it is difficult to confuse it with any other: the upper part of the wing has a cherry-brown color and a spot in the form of an eye, which is characteristic of this species, while the bottom is completely black-brown.

The life cycle of these creatures consists of four phases: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult (butterfly).

A butterfly lays its offspring in one place for many years in a row.

Butterflies never sleep.

The most complex organ of these amazing creatures- eyes. They are made up of 6,000 tiny pieces called lenses.

Butterflies are ancient creatures. Their images are present on Egyptian frescoes, which are more than 2.5 thousand years old.

Butterflies are one of the most common collectibles.

In the world there is more than one species of these insects, which can rightfully be considered the rarest. One of them is the sailing ship of Queen Alexandra - largest butterfly planets.

It is possible to find only on the territory papua new guinea and thanks to collectors, this species is on the verge of extinction.

There are several types of these beautiful creatures, which for the entire cycle of imago ( last stage life) do not eat at all. Such individuals live due to the energy accumulated during the period when the butterfly was still a caterpillar.

The Blue Dwarf is considered to be the smallest butterfly in the world, with a wingspan of only 1.4 cm.

IN tropical forests There is a species of butterflies of the New and Old Worlds, the males of which feed on the tears of animals.

At brazilian butterflycalligo another way to protect. Seeing a bird, it turns over, showing the enemy the wrong side of its wings.

The enemy has no choice but to retreat hastily.

It's all about the pattern on the wings. This is an image of an owl with a sharp beak and big eyes.

Well, the owl worst enemy birds.

Female butterflies generally live longer and longer than male butterflies. Something like people ;-)

Butterflies are great stress relievers. The doctors of Stockholm are convinced of this. The clinics of this city have greenhouses with butterflies and flowers, where patients successfully undergo treatment for stress.

Butterflies are nearsighted!

It turns out that the secret of the butterfly is hidden precisely in its scales on the wings. They support temperature balance, as well as increase flight performance.

But with blood circulation, everything is simple. No heart, no veins and no arteries. All this is replaced by a vessel located in the abdomen, passing into the head in the form of a tube.

The pattern on the wings of a butterfly is unique, just like human fingerprints.

Only the Dead Head hawk moth (Acherontia atropos) has a special “speech” organ located in the pharynx. This butterfly, with anxiety or a sense of danger, can squeak.

Butterflies weigh about as much as two rose petals.

Butterfly migration

Among African butterflies, Catopsilia florella makes the longest migrations. Every year from December to February, its representatives, inhabiting the arid regions of the Sahel, fly south in tens of millions. Destination - Zaire - a few thousand kilometers from the start.

Unlike migratory species temperate latitudes migration is caused not by the onset of spring, but by the beginning of the rainy season in the south: at this time, many flowers will bloom there, which will provide food for the butterflies. They fly in whole clouds up to 20 long and up to 5 kilometers wide.

If such a flock descends to the ground, it is quite capable of turning off car engines! With the return of the dry season, the butterflies head back to the Sahel. Other populations of this species migrate in a similar way, but they fly out from southern Africa (Cape Province of South Africa) and head to the northwest.

Migratory behavior is uncommon in butterflies; it is known only in 200 out of 18,000 diurnal species, and only two dozen of them are comparable in extent and regularity of their flights to Catopsilia florella.

P.S. Interesting fact: During the winter in Southern California, tourists are shown butterfly trees covered with monarch butterflies resting after a long flight from North America. The branches of these trees sag under the weight of a huge number of butterflies! It is impossible to disturb the monarchs - an impressive fine is due for this.

Many are interested in the question of who is an entomologist. Is it a profession or rather a vocation? After all, it is difficult to imagine a person who makes a living by catching and then studying insects. It is also important how relevant in modern world this specialty. Especially considering the fact that every year the range, and with it the population of insects, is rapidly declining.

Let's start with what does the profession of an entomologist mean? First of all, this is a scientist who is impeccably versed in various types of insects, knows their habits and habitats.

How to become an entomologist?

Naturally, you can master this science on your own by reading books about insects, as well as studying the works published in scientific publications. But it will turn out to become only an amateur entomologist, because to get a real position you need a diploma.

Profession entomologist: what does this specialist do?

In general, this profession can be divided into two large groups: general and applied. And although they are both derivatives of the same science, the difference in their application is very great.

General entomology is the study of all insects without exception. Experts in this field travel to all corners of the world in order to look for new species of beetles, monitor the population of butterflies, catalog endangered subspecies of dragonflies, and so on. There are also scientists dedicated to general entomology. These are pioneers in the world of insects, whose main desire is the knowledge of everything new.

But an entomologist is a many-sided profession, as proof of this, its practical direction. The specialists of this group are engaged in the study of insect pests, as well as the development of methods to combat them. Including with ticks and mosquitoes, which are carriers of many infections.

Relevance on the labor market

Where to look for work for those who deserve it honorary title entomologist? This profession is not very popular, so a lot depends on the place of residence, region, as well as the narrow specialty that a person received at a university.

In particular, general entomologists are better off looking for a position at an institute or university where they can devote themselves entirely to the study of insects. Having gained experience, you can compete for a place in a research center, which will open up an even wider range of opportunities for a scientist (including business trips abroad).

In addition, entomologists are needed in disinfection services, whose duties include the destruction of pests. Also good specialist can always count on a place in agricultural sector, because their knowledge of methods of protecting crops from insects is highly valued there.

Material of the id104 team Endemics - creative tour of the pre-school educational institution in Biology 2007 "Unfamiliar Biology"

Nice word? A lepidopterist is a person who studies butterflies. The name of the profession, like the word lepidopterology - the science of butterflies, comes from the Latin lepidoptera - butterfly. Lepidopterologists are interested in the biology of Lepidoptera, their physiology, definition, taxonomy and other features of representatives of this order of insects. Often lepidopterists combine their work with the profession of ecologist, geographer or ornithologist. A person who is simply fond of butterflies is called a lepidopterist. To become a lepidopterist, you need to graduate from the biological faculty of a university and work at the department of entomology.

Another scientist - Ershov, Nikolai Grigorievich - Russian lepidopterologist, b. April 23, 1837 in Moscow, died March 12, 1896 in St. Petersburg, .; received his secondary education in St. Petersburg., at the request of his father, he remained a merchant, but attended lectures on zoology and chemistry at the Medico-Surgical Academy and worked at the Zoological Museum of Imp. acad. Sciences. While still at the boarding school, under the guidance of Menetrie, he studied mainly Russian Lepidoptera. Ershov is known for having collected one of the best collections on butterflies, most of which he brought as a gift to the Zoological Museum of Imp. acad. Sciences. E. took an active part in the affairs of the Russian Entomological Society. Of the numerous scientific works of E. deserve special attention: "Catalogue of Lepidoptera Russian Empire"(Together with Field, St. Petersburg, 1869); "Journey to Turkestan A.P. Fedchenko. Lepidoptera" (M., 1874).

There is a Gallery of lepidopterologists in Russia and neighboring countries on the Internet: http://jugan2.narod.ru/index.html, where you can meet colleagues and like-minded people.

Few people know, but Vladimir Nabokov was not only a writer, but also a lepidopterist, and in his books he rather harshly assessed the state of science about butterflies in Russia and abroad. Nabokov's butterflies are mentioned in the books "The Gift" and "Other Shores". He criticizes the other famous writer Aksakov for the book he wrote "Collecting Butterflies", but in the opinion of Yu. P. Korshunov (another of our lepidopterologists) is unreasonable. The very fact of the existence of criticism regarding books about butterflies between writers shows that this is an exciting and popular hobby concerns not only specialist entomologists, eccentrics like Paganel Jules Verne, but also many other people.

In Other Shores, Nabokov writes of Russian lepidopterology as "an almost non-existent<…>under the Soviets. In fact, there were no grounds for such a dull conclusion. In addition to the popular science publications mentioned above, since the 18th century materials were regularly published in Russia under the auspices of the Academy of Sciences, the Moscow Society of Naturalists was very active, then the Russian Entomological Society. Vladimir Nabokov was aware of these publications, wrote about it, but believed that 1917 had stopped everything.

Naturally, the years of devastation affected the business, but the specialists and the main collections were preserved. And just in the 20-30s there was a special surge for many publications, especially applied ones. Keys were published for general and for individual groups of insects, the series "Fauna of Russia" and further "Fauna of the USSR". On the basis of the Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, research on Lepidoptera continued and developed. Great specialists N. Ya. Kuznetsov, N. N. Filipiev, A. A. Yakhontov, P. P. Sushkin, S. S. Chetverikov, V. and I. Kozhanchikov, A. S. Danilevsky and others worked quite actively, using a variety of techniques, including the most advanced. Aksakovskoe "Collecting butterflies" new life received in 1938, when the publishing house "Children's Literature" published the book "Butterflies": "abbreviated and processed for children of younger and middle age, the story of S. T. Aksakov "Collecting Butterflies" (afterword and captions to the tables by N. N. Plavilshchikov, drawings in the text of G. Orlov. Pages 88 and 15 color tables, circulation 25.300 copies"). Unfortunately, this and other books about butterflies (A. A. Yakhontov "Our Daytime Butterflies", M. Uchpedgiz, 1935; S. D. Lavrov "Our Caterpillars", M. Uchpedgiz, 1938) were prevented from serving properly by the war.

The years of war, the years of denial of genetics, of course, affected business, as did poor funding, poor printing, but enthusiasts did not translate into Rus'. At present, lepidopterology continues to develop, new books, atlases and albums dedicated to Lepidoptera are published annually in the world and all more people enjoys studying these amazing, gentle creatures.

Why? Because butterflies are simply very beautiful.

when creating the article, information from Wikipedia, dictionaries and reference books on biology was also used (was previously read :)),

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