The group Lepidoptera contains butterflies and moths. These holometabolic animals are known for their three-stage life cycle: the larva stage is the caterpillar. Caterpillars often feed on different plant species. Some caterpillars build interesting houses made of bark and leaves (Psychidae: bagworm moths), while other are covered by long hairs which in some cases are harmful even for humans. Some caterpillars do not live on plants, but rather inside them. These so-called mining species live between the lower and upper epidermis of leaves and eat corridors into the tissue. Following the caterpillar stage comes the pupa stage. The animals form a more or less rigid shell around their bodies which protects the caterpillar inside which slowly, sometimes for several months, transforms into the adult butterfly. The imago in most cases has two pairs of wings which are typically covered with tiny scales. Butterflies have a long proboscis with which they can drink nectar from tubular flowers. They are sometimes seen on beaches and wet stone areas where they absorb minerals from the wet ground. Butterflies come in a variety of sizes and colors, from tiny species that with their color blend into their environment to large wandering species with beautiful vivid coloring such as the monarch butterfly.
