How do Lepidoptera feed?

How do Lepidoptera feed?

Most larvae feed on plant material using biting-chewing mouthparts. The mouthparts of Lepidoptera belong to one of the best-studied feeding organs of flower-visiting insects, in terms of anatomy, functional morphology, and evolutionary biology (91).

What Mouthpart does a caterpillar have?

Caterpillar mouthparts basically consist of an anterior flap (labrum), a pair of chewing jaws (mandibles), a pair of complex first maxillae, and a pair of similar second maxillae joined together behind the mouth to form a structure called the labium.

What are the characteristics of Lepidoptera?

Lepidoptera are ‘typical’ insects, in that they have 4 wings, 6 legs, 2 antennae and a body divided into 3 sections – a head, thorax and abdomen. The leg and wings are attached to the thorax. In a few species of moths, the females have evolved to become wingless.

What is the primary function of lepidopteran larvae?

The larva is the chief, and often the only, feeding stage of the life cycle. Its function is simply to transform very large quantities of plant matter into animal matter and to stay alive during the process.

How do mouthparts function?

They function in various ways: probing/sipping, sponging/lapping, piercing/sucking, etc. But regardless of how they work, they are still constructed from the same five building blocks found in mandibulate mouthparts: labrum, mandibles, maxillae, hypopharynx, and labium.

What kind of mouthparts do Hymenoptera have?

Their mouthparts are adapted for chewing, with well-developed mandibles (ectognathous mouthparts). Many species have further developed the mouthparts into a lengthy proboscis, with which they can drink liquids, such as nectar. They have large compound eyes, and typically three simple eyes, ocelli.

How do Prolegs work?

Prolegs aren’t actually used to propel caterpillars forward. Instead, they act as anchors that hold the caterpillars tightly in place during movement of other body segments. Prolegs bind the caterpillar to a rigid substrate, such as a twig.

How do caterpillars adapt to their environment?

Some caterpillars physically camouflage themselves to look like bird droppings or sticks, while others have developed fake eyes to scare off birds. Some caterpillars even have chemical defenses gained from poisonous plants, which they then broadcast to predators with a bright warning coloration.

What is unique about Lepidoptera?

Lepidopteran species are characterized by more than three derived features. The most apparent is the presence of scales that cover the bodies, wings, and a proboscis. The scales are modified, flattened “hairs”, and give butterflies and moths their wide variety of colors and patterns.

What are lepidopteran pests?

lepidopteran pests. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) are the second most diverse pest insect order outnumbered only by the beetles. As pollinators of many plants, adult moths and butterflies are usually beneficial insects that feed on nectar using their siphoning proboscis.

How is the larva of the butterfly adapted to its mode of feeding?

Caterpillars have chewing mouth parts, called mandibles, which enable them to eat leaves and other plant parts.

What do butterflies and moths do with their mouthparts?

Butterflies and moths have mouthparts specialized for probing into a flower and sucking out nectar. A long, slender proboscis is formed by the two galea of the maxillae which interlock to enclose a central food canal. At rest, this tubular structure remains coiled beneath the head; it uncoils by hydrostatic pressure when the insect feeds.

What kind of tongue does a moth have?

Moths have very long proboscis, or tongues, which they use to suck nectar or other fluids. These proboscis are very tightly coiled not in use, like a hosepipe. When in use, the proboscis are uncoiled to their full length and in some species, that length is remarkably long.

How are the mouthparts of insects adapted to their function?

As insects evolved to feed on a wider variety of food resources, their mouthparts adapted accordingly through natural selection. In some cases, an individual component of the mouthparts became specialized for a new function. In weevils, for example, the front of the head is elongated into a long, slender proboscis.

How are the sensory hairs on a moth used?

Setae (sensory hairs) on the insects entire body (including the antennae) can feel the environment. They also give the insect information about the wind while it is flying. Moths navigate by two methods. They use the moon and stars when available and geomagnetic clues when light sources are obscured.