Abdomen - The part of the body of a butterfly or moth behind the thorax. The Abodomen contains the reproductive organs and gut.

Aberration - A genetic or environmentally produced variation of wing pattern compared to the usual form of the species.
[+] Further information available on the Aberrations page.

Androconica - Male scent scales for attracting females. The area around these scales found on the upper forewing of butterflies and moths releases a sexual pheremone which attracts females of the same species. The use of pheremone lures is sometimes used to monitor certain moth species which are rarely encountered otherwise.

Antenna - The sensory organs projecting from the front of the head of both butterflies and moths. Butterflies tend to have antenna which are club shaped at the end while male moths can have feather-like antenna.

Basal - Towards the base of the wing, nearest the body.

Chorion - The hard, protective outer casing of a butterfly or moth egg (ova).

Cremaster - The pupa uses the cremaster to attach itself to silken pads. The cremaster is found at the tip of the abodomen of a pupa.

Dimorphism - Two different forms of the same species.

Distal - The furthest point of the wing from the body. Generally the wing-tips.

Frons - The area between the eyes of a butterfly.

Gyandromorph - Having both female and male characteristics.

Lunule - A crescent shaped mark which occurs as part of the wing pattern. Lunules are often present around the marginal parts of a butterflies wing.

Marginal - The outer edges of the wings.

Melanism - The preponderance of blackness - generally refering to variation in wing colouration. Melanistic forms often occur in populations of the White Admiral.

Micropyle - The minute opening in a butterfly egg.

Ocellus - Eye-spots which occur on the butterflies wings. Eyespots are a defense mechanism. Eyespots may also be present of caterpillars to ward off predators.

Ovipositor - The structure a female has for laying eggs.

Polymorphism - The occurrence of many forms of the same species.

Proboscis - The feeding tube of a butterfly. The proboscis is formed from two cylindrical tubes which fuse after the adult butterfly emerges from its pupae forming a sealed tube through which suggary liquids such as nectar are drunk.

Thorax - The middle section of an insects body.

Aestivation - A summer version of hibernation. Especially prevalent in very hot dry regions.

Ecdysis - The process of skin shedding.

Endemic - Restricted to a particular region. A specialist species which for example, only occurs in once country.

Hibernation - The suspension of activity during the winter, cold period.

Instar - A stage of larval development. Each larval instar occurs when the larva sheds its skin in order to allow it to grow. Butterfly and Moth larvae have between 3 and 6 larval instars.

Metamorphosis - The process of dramatic physical change e.g. from a pupae to a butterfly.

Monophagous - A species which only uses one plant species as a larval food plant.

Oligophagous - A species which uses several closely related plant species as a larval food plant.

Polyphagous - A species which uses hostplants from different genera.

Bivoltine - Butterflies or moths which have two breeding cycles per year.

Diapause - Hibernation and aestivation.

Trivoltine - Butterflies or moths which have three breeding cycles per year.

Univoltine - Butterflies or moths which have one breeding cycle per year.