Classification of Butterflies and Moths

Have you ever seen a snow storm in the summer? Well, you can, by seeing a mass of butterflies migrating. Speaking of big groups, did you know that there are 20,000 different kinds of butterflies? The moth group has a few more different kinds. That family has 145,000 different kinds. Insects are sorted into groups according to the ways they are different. Butterflies and moths are in a group called Lepidoptera. Butterflies are sorted into families by shape, color, size and behavior. The biggest family of butterflies has 3,000 kinds. That family is called Brush-footed Butterflies. Do you sometimes hear strange sounds? Well, if you go to South America, you might hear butterflies make loud clicking sounds with their wings. You probably think that all butterflies collect pollen, right? Wrong! Another family, called the Emperor butterflies, rarely visit flowers. They get their food from dead animals, manure, rotting fruit and tree sap.