![]() Most butterfly species have populations that are localized to a specific region or habitat and thus respond quickly to local conditions such as fires, drought, and fluctuating seasonal precipitation levels. ![]() They are also highly sensitive to environmental changes and thus are important indicators of environmental quality. With a lifestyle based on visiting flowers for nectar, butterflies are known as important pollinators. They have taste receptors on their feet that enable them to identify specific plants on which to lay their eggs. Adult butterflies largely feed on flower nectar that they obtain through a flexible anatomical tube called a proboscis (Figure 1). ![]() Most butterflies have fairly short lives in their adult form, a few weeks to a month for many smaller species whereas a few larger species such as the monarch and mourning cloak may live nine months or more. Butterflies are generally warm weather creatures with the greatest diversity occurring in tropical regions. Butterflies are insects that exhibit a four-part life cycle progressing from egg to larva to pupa to the adult form called imago. ![]()
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