Butterflies look very fragile and harmless creatures. But in wildlife, such a luxury is simply unacceptable. The owners of the painted wings have too many enemies, and they have found ways to defend themselves. Some of them like to disguise themselves, while others prefer to poison their offenders. What are the most poisonous butterflies in the world? Let's find out.
Butterfly protection
Together with moths and moths, butterflies are Lepidoptera insects. They have the most diverse appearance, reaching from 2 mm to 30 centimeters in size. Most of them have an oval elongated body, a small neat head and a pair of wings covered with microscopic scales. It looks like an adult stage of butterflies - imago. But in order to achieve it, they have to go through several stages of development: an egg, a caterpillar and a chrysalis.
Butterflies don't have sharp stingers, teeth or claws, but they have plenty of enemies. They are eaten by birds, lizards, rodents, toads and predatory insects. In a direct fight, it is difficult for butterflies to resist the enemy and there is little chance of fighting off the attacker. But they can preventthreat.
Many species are helped by camouflage or deterrent coloration. For example, glass cases copy the appearance of a wasp, and honeysuckle hawk mimics a bumblebee. The crimson tapeworm skillfully disguises itself as the bark of a tree, and Saturnia scares off enemies with the image of eyes on its wings. There are also poisonous butterflies that can not only frighten, but also harm the enemy. The complex nature of these insects is usually indicated by bright warning colors.
Poisonous butterflies
Poisoning enemies is not the most common technique among butterflies, especially in the adult stage. This tool is more often used by caterpillars, which have special glands that secrete a toxic secret. A number of species can be very dangerous - one touch to their representatives leads to death, fever or severe inflammation. Flashy coloration and hairs on the body are the first sign that these caterpillars should not be approached.
Adult butterflies are rarely poisonous enough to cause significant harm to humans or large mammals. They, like some caterpillars, do not produce toxins on their own, but use those that are secreted by plants. Feeding on nectar and leaves of poisonous species, they are saturated with harmful substances and become completely inedible for predators.
Which butterflies are poisonous? The "poisoners" include many types of danaids, sailboats, representatives of bats and bears. Meeting with them can lead to irritation, inflammation, allergies and other consequences.
Goldtail
The poisonous butterfly from the family of volnyanka is also called golden worm and golden silkworm. In Europe, it is distributed from the shores of the Mediterranean to the south of Sweden and Finland, it is found in eastern Russia and North America.
This is a small insect with white furry wings, the span of which reaches only 3-4 centimeters. The butterfly lives in mixed forests, in cool orchards and parks, causing significant damage to trees.
The poisonous goldtail is in the caterpillar stage. You can recognize it during this period by its brown color with yellow-white longitudinal stripes and tufts of long brown hair. After touching the caterpillar, it becomes harder to breathe, and a rash and scars appear on the skin. Symptoms can be managed with a calcium chloride compress and antihistamines.
Common Bear
The kaya bear is one of the poisonous butterflies in Russia, living from the Caucasus Mountains to the Far East. In addition, it is common in Europe and in some Asian countries. The front wings of the butterfly are white-brown, the hind wings are bright orange-red with several blue round spots. They live in grasslands, fly at dusk and at night, and rest in shelter during the day. They feed on herbs, mountain ash, willow and other plants.
Troubles can be expected from both larval and adult forms of she-bears. Their caterpillars are covered with thick red-brown hairs that can cause allergies,inflammation and conjunctivitis. Adult butterflies, sensing danger, emit a yellowish liquid with an unpleasant odor. It has the same effect as caterpillar hairs.
Sailboat Antimach
Antimachus is the largest butterfly on the African continent. Its wingspan is 18-23 centimeters. It is painted in ocher color, against which a pattern of brown and black lines and spots is placed. The forewings are oblong and strongly elongated upwards.
The Antimach sailboat has no natural enemies, because it is one of the most poisonous butterflies in the world. It lives in the tropical rainforests of equatorial Africa, from Liberia and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Danaid Monarch
Monarch is a poisonous butterfly from the genus Danaid and the Nymphalidae family. In general, it is distributed in North America, where it is found from southern Canada to Mexico itself. However, the species has also been seen in other regions of the world, such as the Canary Islands, North Africa, Europe and Russia. Butterflies are known for their long-distance winter migrations, during which they cover up to three thousand kilometers.
Danaid monarch has dark orange wings with thick black lines that follow the pattern of veins. The outer edges of the wings are edged in black with white spots interspersed. Their caterpillars are painted with yellow, white and black transverse stripes.
Even at the stage of the larvae, insects feed on the leaves of the gooseberry, which contains toxic substances -glycosides. The monarchs themselves do not react in any way to the poison, but their body accumulates it in their tissues. After that, the caterpillars become inedible for most birds and small mammals. While pupating, they completely retain their toxic properties, so adult butterflies are also poisonous.
