why do white butterflies (cabbage moths) sometimes fly in 8 - 10 member 'flocks'?
82743
It is in part about predator prey.  It is also in part about mazimazing food opportunities.\n\nThe predator prey thing is a tactic where in the individual has a better chance of getting thru hostile territory if there are others out to take the hit.  This is more about continuance of the species than continuance of the individual.\n\nThe food thing is about jumping in while the food available.  Butterflys, until Bees, have not evolved a method for telling everyone else where the food is.
532339
all the time! Usually i see just the light reflectiong off their wings cause they move so fast! It's a good sign if you do see them. kinda lucky.
445484
They are likely following air currents-Flies dont think about where they are going-they dont really "think" at all, in terms of making decisions.  THey just have simple reactions to ari currents, heat, light, and chemical sensations (food)-If they are circling, its because there are air current moving in a circular motion, and they are following those.
512347
Generally it's called a V formation, and it's usually geese (Canada geese are common geese that you'd see). Ducks also fly this way, although I usually see them in pairs.\nBirds fly this way because it's more aerodynamic. The bird in front is essentially plowing the way through for the rest of them. The ones behind fly in its "wake". They take turns being the lead bird since that's the hardest position to be in.
191555
In general? It all relates to Darwin's Law, "Survival of the Fittest." Take, for example, the moths that lived around these factories (someplace in the world.  I forget where exactly). There were two types of moths, Black and White. Before the industrial revolution, the white moths thrived, because the naturally snowy environment allowed the moths to blend in more when resting on trees, the ground, etc. because of the layer of snow.  However, once the industrial revolution kicked in and smoke pollution increased, the black moths began to thrive because the white moths stood out more.\n\nGet it?
111166
When they fly into a ceiling, their feet stick on the ceiling same as with a wall. Flies, like all insects have 6 legs, 2 in the "front" and 4 in the "rear" --\napproximately. As the fly approaches the ceiling, it "reaches up overhead"\nand grips the ceiling with its two front legs. It's forward momentum carries the rest of the fly in the direction of flight. It then does a "180 degree"\nflip planting its 4 rear legs on the ceiling, landing in the opposite direction as the initial direction of flight.\n\nThis is not as bizarre as it sounds. Human gymnasts on the uneven bars perform similar trajectories in some of their exercises.
299428
Some Butterflies do have a very short lifespan but not 1 day, unless killed. Remember their main role in the life cycle is to breed and lay eggs. Most Butterflies can achieve mating and egg laying within a in a  10 - 14 day period and would die soon after. Males usually die a couple of days earlier than the female Other Butterflies, particularly the fruit eating ones, have a much longer adult life span of sometimes weeks and months. The Monarch Butterfly is a migratory species and the adult life span is approximately 9-10 months.
219784
Moths do not take the top spot, but run in second place, although far behind the beetle group.\n\nBeetles take the top spot with 350,000 species\nButterfly and moth with 170,000 species\nFlies with 120,000 species\nAnts and bees with 110,000 species\ngrasshoppers with 20,000 species
1108371
To attract mates and/or discourage predators (since many butterflies are distasteful or toxic). Other butterflies evolve the same colors to mimic the toxic ones and gain some small protection thereby.
427967
Because Dog was already taken. \n\nActually, as I recall it's because the wings of a butterfly has a tendency of picking up alot of pollen, and much like when you were a kid and you took a dandelion and brushed it against your skin it would leave a yellow (buttery color) residue, a butterflys wings would do the same. A buttery color dust would be left behind, so I guess they connected the color of the dust to the idea that this thing flies.
275624
Butterflies are day-active(diurnal) insects and come out only during the day.
142578
With the flutter of a butterfly's wings somewhere around the world...the wings beating could stir up something in the air...causing a boar to snort...scaring up an entire herd of zebras... yada yada yada.  Basically something that simple can lead to a chain of events that cause something great or huge.  It kinda reminds me of the game six degrees of Kevin Bacon.
876558
Butterfly wings are made of very fragile scales that if touched by humans, could cause permanant damage. The wings are normally patterned for camoflage or scaring away predators.
155001
Birds of a feather flock together
957135
I believe the correct term is 'flock'
1068629
I think you are talking about the 'Butterfly Effect' in weather forecasting.   With all the wonderful computers they have to help to forecast the weater, one of the staff was sitting in his garden when a butterfly flew past him.  He suddenly realised that the air movement caused by the wings can cause air movement which can increase over time, enough to cause a major storm in another part of the world.....................
651654
Only the ones that emerge from chrysalis. While being in a chrysalis they don't eat, they live of the reserves acquired during the caterpillar-phase (that's why they are so voracious). The classic example of this are the butterflies.