Butterflies Continued

Protection and Self Defense Many animals have ways they protect themselves. Butterflies are no exception to the rule. Butterflies have many enemies. Therefore, they have various ways to protect themselves. Protection and Self Defense

Some butterflies are chemical defenses. These butterflies and their caterpillars give off an unpleasant odor. Other butterflies taste bad. The reason for the bad taste is that as a larva the butterfly eats plants that have bitter or poisonous juices. These juices are stored in the tissues and causes the distaste. Butterflies that are distasteful generally have bright colors to advertise that they taste bad. This coloring is called, warning coloration.

Other butterflies mimic, look the same, as distasteful butterflies to confuse enemies. Also there are butterflies that blend in or disappear into their surroundings, known as protective coloration. With this protective coloration they look like leaves, bark and other things the topside of its wings. At the same time the bottom part of this butterflies wings are brown and look like bark. Refer to pictures below.

This is the Common Morpho butterfly. This butterfly has bright blue on its top wings, while the under side of the wing has protective coloration.

Special thanks to The Houston Museum of Natural Science for providing an 
excellent habitat for observing butterflies.

 References

The World Book 1998 Multimedia Encyclopedia	The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies(1981)
Eyewitness Handbook Butterflies and Moths (1992)	Microsoft Encarta 1994

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