Lepidoptera - butterflies and moths

Butterflies are insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera in which two pairs of wings as well as the legs and body are covered with scales.

They have a coiled proboscis which is used for sucking up liquid foods such as nectar from flowers. Their chewing mouthparts are imperfect or totally absent.

Lepidoptera comes from the Greek words lepis (a scale) and pteron (wing), meaning 'scale-wing'.

The Lepidopterans are normally divided into butterflies and moths.