Your American History Reference Guide! - Brush-footed butterfly

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The Nymphalidae are a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies.

These are typically fairly large butterfies, such as the admirals, tortoiseshells and fritillaries, which have very colourful upperparts. However, the underwings are dull and often look like dead leaves, which helps to conceal stationary or hibernating insects.

The front two legs are small, so these butterflies are effectively four-legged. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky, and the chrysalids have shiny spots.

Several species are attracted to Buddleia, the butterfly plant.

Species include

• Comma Polygonia c-album
• Gatekeeper Butterfly, Pyronia tithonus
• Gulf Fritillary, Argyronome laodice
• Meadow Brown, Maniolis jurtina
• Mourning cloak, Nymphalis antiopa
• Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexipus
• Morpho
  • Blue Morpho, Morpho menelaus
  • Sunset Morpho, Morpho hecuba
• Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui
• Peacock, Inachis io
• Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
• Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia
• Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
• Small Tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae
• Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria

Small Tortoiseshell

The classification shown here follows most modern taxonomists in relegating the following well known butterfly families to the status of subfamilies of the Nymphalidae:

• the Satyridae or Browns
• the Danaidae or Milkweed butterfly
• the Heliconiidae, colourful tropical butterflies noted for polymorphic Batesian mimicry