three pairs of jointed legs on the thorax or mid-region of a caterpillar, with a grasping hook at the end

having a caterpillar-like shape, i.e. cylindrical with a well-developed head and legs

A plant or plants on which eggs are laid and on which the caterpillars feed

The third region of the body of a butterfly (or other insect), consisting of ten segments containing the internal organs like digestive, nervous and excretory systems, as well as sexual organs.

to pass the summer or dry season in a dormant condition

hind-most leg-like structures on the caterpillar, used to attach to the silk pad the caterpillar spins at the beginning of the chrysalis stage.

an alternative term for the anal claspers

exposed claspers at the end of the abdomen with which the male holds on to the female.

a specialised microscopic scale on the wings of male butterflies which release pheronomes to attract females of the same species. Plural is androconia. Sometimes referred to as ‘sex glands’.

flowering plant which produces seeds enclosed in fruit. It is the dominant type of plant with over 250 thousand species. Angiosperms evolved 125 million years ago, becoming the dominant plant life around 100 million years ago. Butterflies and moths are important pollinators of these plants.