Lepidoptera are often identified to species by the veins and color patterns on their wings. The bright wing patterns are due to the tiny colored scales that cover the wings. Butterflies lose scales as they age. Over-handling butterflies will cause the scales to fall off prematurely, which can greatly affect their ability to fly and survive. All Lepidoptera have holometabolous development, which means the eggs hatch into larvae that must pupate and metamorphose into an adult that looks very different from the larval caterpillar.
Caterpillars are phytophagus, with most feeding on all parts of the plants.
Often caterpillars are species specific feeders, and will only feed on one species or a few closely related species of plant. Because of their great beauty, butterflies are some of the best studied animals in the world. Entomologists have described about 110,000 species of butterflies and moths, including 10,000 species from North America. This link will connect with an excellent site with pictures of many of the butterflies found in Wisconsin. Check back later in the summer for a key to the butterflies and caterpillars in the Cofrin Arboretum.