Butterflies and moths (butterfly) is an insect belonging to the order Lepidoptera, or 'winged insect scales' (lepis, scales and pteron, wings).
Simply put, the butterfly is distinguished from moths alias streetwalker on the active and physical attributes. Butterflies are generally active during the daytime (diurnal), while the moth is active mostly at night (nocturnal). Butterfly alighted to rest or to enforce its wings, moth wings spread perched with. Butterflies usually have a bright beautiful colors, moths tend to be dark, dull or gray. However, these differences there are always exception, so it can not be scientifically sure grip. (Van Mastrigt and Rosariyanto, 2005).
Butterflies and moths so many kinds, in Java and Bali island alone recorded more than 600 species of butterflies. Type of moth so far have not made the full list, but supposedly there are hundreds of species (Whitten et al., 1999). Butterfly became one of the few types of insects that are harmless to humans.
Food habits and
Many people who like beautiful butterflies, but otherwise very few people who do not feel disgusted at the caterpillar, but both are the same creature. All kinds of butterflies and moths through the stages of life as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and finally metamorphosed into a butterfly or moth.
The butterflies generally live by sucking nectar (nectar / pollen flowers). However, some species like the sucked liquid from the fruit that fell on the ground and rot, carrion, bird droppings, and wet soil.
Unlike the butterflies, caterpillars live primarily by eating the leaves. These caterpillars are very greedy, but generally each kind of specialized caterpillars eat the leaves of a plant species specific. So the presence of a species of butterfly in a place, is also determined by the availability of a host plant of caterpillars.
Butterflies and Humans
Butterflies and moths are known as insect pollinators of plants, which help the flowers develop into fruit. So for farmers, and people in general, butterflies are very useful to help the course of crop pollination.
On the other hand, there different kinds of caterpillars known as a voracious pest. Not only that dimangsanya crops, but also fruit trees and trees in general can be cleared up by the pest caterpillar leaves in a relatively short time. Many types of caterpillar pests, mainly from other types of moths are a serious agricultural pest.
To take advantage of the beauty of some kind, now of developing a butterfly farm.
