The largest group is the nymphs, of which there are almost 6000 different kinds, including red admirals, viceroys and mourning cloaks. Skippers are not true butterflies for they have plump, hairy bodies like moths and hooked antennae. Moon moths come from South East Asia. They fly mainly at night. Leopard moths are night fliers, often seen fluttering round street lights, to which they are attracted.
Peacock butterflies are brush-foots.
They have four eyespots on their brilliantly coloured wings, which they flash to frighten off predators. Swallowtails are found all over the world but are most common in the tropics, where they grow up to 25cm across. Holly blue caterpillars make a sweet liquid called honeydew, which ants milk. Orange tips have bright orange tips to their wings. Hairstreak butterflies have a false head on their hind wings.