1

There are about 45 resident breeding butterfly species in the English county of Hampshire. How many resident breeding species occur in a similarly sized area of rainforest in Peru ?

 2

The largest known species of butterfly in the world is a Birdwing measuring about 20 cms in wingspan and is found on Papua New Guinea. What is it's scientific name ?

 3

Using mark and recapture techniques, the distances covered by migrating butterflies can be measured. What is the longest distance known to have been covered by an individual Monarch butterfly ?

 4

What is the common name of the North American species Cyanophrys miserabilis ?

 5

Which famous Victorian explorer and evolutionist proposed the theory of butterfly mimicry ?

 6

Which of these butterflies was formerly known as the Queen of England Fritillary ?

 7

Which term describes the scent-producing scales on the wings of male butterflies ?

 8

Birds and mammals can see the colours and patterns on butterfly wings, but what colours, if any, can butterflies see ?

 9

What is the fastest speed recorded of a butterfly in flight ?

10

What is the most widely distributed butterfly species in the world ?

11

After mating, male Apollo butterflies glue a structure onto the abdomens of the females, to prevent them from re-mating with other males. What is the structure called ?

12

Roughly how long ago did the first butterfly species appear on Earth ?

 1

Tambopata and Manu rainforest reserves in Peru each have about 1450 resident species. Several other similarly sized rainforest reserves, such as Rio Cristalino in Brazil, and Rio Napo in Ecuador, are estimated to each have in excess of 1200 breeding species.

 2

The largest butterfly in the world is the female of Ornithoptera alexandrae. It is found in the Popondetta region in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. The larvae feed on Aristolochia vines, and the adult butterflies visit Hibiscus flowers.

 3

The longest distance covered by an individual Monarch butterfly is 2950 kms, measured in a straight line.

 4

Cyanophrys miserabilis from North America is known as the Sad Green Hairstreak. The Morose Sailor and Blue Heart Playboy are African species.

 5

The mimicry of toxic or unpalatable butterfly species by edible species was theorised by Henry Walter Bates, and is known as Batesian mimicry.

 6

The name Queen of England Fritillary was coined by 19th century entomologists to describe a form of the Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaia.

 7

Scent, in the form of pheromones, is produced from specialised scales known as androconia, located on the upper surface of the wings of male butterflies.

 8

Butterflies can see the entire spectrum of colours that is visible to humans, and can also detect ultra-violet. In addition to visible patterns, many butterflies also have "hidden" ultra violet patterns which can only be seen by other butterflies.

 9

The Monarch Danaus plexippus has been recorded keeping up with a car travelling at 25mph / 40kph on a windless day.

10

The Painted Lady Vanessa cardui. It is found in North America from Alaska to Mexico, and south to the Caribbean islands and Venezuela. It also occurs throughout Europe, most of Africa and Asia, and extends it's range across the Far East and south to Western Australia.

11

After copulation, male Apollo butterflies glue a whitish structure called a sphragis onto the abdomens of the females, which physically prevents them from re-mating with other males.

12

Mandibulate moths ( Zeugloptera ) are believed to have first appeared on Earth about 260 million years ago, and fed on mosses and liverworts. Butterflies appeared much later, evolving alongside the first flowering plants, about 100 million years ago. The earliest fossil records of butterflies are from the Eocene period, 48 million years ago.