Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. Members are characterized by wings covered with microscopic scales that produce their patterns and colors. They typically feed as adults with a coiled proboscis, drawing nectar from flowers, though some species do not feed. Lepidopterans undergo complete metamorphosis, passing through egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis or cocoon), and adult.

Adults usually have two pairs of wings and a slender body; antennae are often clubbed in butterflies and varied in moths. The caterpillar is the larval stage, usually herbivorous and often highly host-specific, with chewing mouthparts and pronounced prolegs. Pupation ends the larval stage, producing a chrysalis or cocoon during which tissues are reorganized into the adult form.

Lepidoptera occupy a wide range of habitats worldwide and can be diurnal or nocturnal. Many species are important pollinators; caterpillars are major herbivores and can influence plant communities. Coloration, wing shape, and behavior such as camouflage, mimicry, and aposematism reduce predation. Some species undertake long migrations, such as the monarch butterfly.

Taxonomically, Lepidoptera is a large order within class Insecta, with tens of thousands of described species across many families, including Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Noctuidae, Sphingidae, and Saturniidae. The group has significant economic and cultural importance: some species are agricultural pests, others are valued pollinators, and the domesticated silk moth Bombyx mori provides silk. Many species are the focus of conservation efforts due to habitat loss and climate change.