What are the natural enemies of butterflies? A rundown of the common predatory animals that prey on butterflies

Butterflies are classified under the order Lepidoptera. Since the Cretaceous period they have evolved alongside flowering plants, which serve as their food source, and they pollinate these plants. They are the last group of organisms to appear in the evolution of insects. Their main natural enemies in nature include ants, beetles, birds, flies, lizards, frogs, toads, mantises, spiders, wasps, parasitic wasps and more. Let's take a look at these natural enemies of butterflies below!

Ants

Ants are insects belonging to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae. They are extremely diverse: more than 11,700 species in 21 subfamilies and 283 genera are known worldwide, and over 600 species have been identified in China. A new ant species that reproduces asexually was discovered recently. Ants live a long time: worker ants can survive from a few weeks to 3-10 years, while queens can live for several years or even ten years. A single ant nest can grow in one spot for several years or even more than a decade.

Beetles

Beetles are the collective name for insects of the order Coleoptera, belonging to the subclass Pterygota and the holometabolous group. Their bodies have a hard outer shell, the forewings are horny, thick and hard, and the hindwings are membranous, such as scarab beetles, longhorn beetles and weevils. Most species have a worldwide distribution. Many species in this order are important pests of agricultural and forestry crops, and they are very closely tied to human economic interests.

Birds

Most birds are omnivorous and not very picky. Every spring and autumn, birds fly in flocks that darken the sky. This seasonal phenomenon, in which they change their habitat areas, either moving from breeding grounds to wintering grounds or returning from wintering grounds to breeding grounds, is called bird migration. Each year when spring returns to the earth, birds begin a series of activities such as courtship, reproduction, nesting, incubation and chick rearing.

Flies

The Chinese character for fly is composed of the elements for "insect" and "mian," where "mian" means "eats little and reproduces much," so the original meaning of "fly" is "an insect that eats little and reproduces much." It is the general name for insects of the family Muscidae, suborder Cyclorrhapha, order Diptera. About 3,000 species are known worldwide, and more than 500 species are known in China. This family is divided into several subfamilies, the vast majority of which are non-blood-sucking, while the subfamily Stomoxyinae are blood-sucking. The main difference between the two groups lies in their mouthparts.

Lizards

Lizards, commonly known as "four-legged snakes" and also called "snake's aunt," are found all over the world. They belong to the cold-blooded reptiles and are extremely diverse, with about 3,000 species distributed across the globe and more than 150 species known in China. Most species are carnivorous, feeding on insects, earthworms, snails and even mice, but some feed mainly on cacti or seaweed, or are omnivorous.

Frogs

Frogs belong to the class Amphibia. Adults basically have no tail. Eggs are generally laid in water and hatch into tadpoles, which breathe with gills. After metamorphosis, adults mainly breathe with lungs, though in most species the skin also has a partial respiratory function. This group mainly includes two types of animals, frogs and toads, and there is no very strict distinction between them; some families include both.

Mantises

Mantises are carnivorous insects that hunt various insects and small animals. In fields and forest areas they can eliminate many pests, and are therefore beneficial insects. They are fierce and aggressive by nature, and when food is scarce they often show the phenomenon of larger ones swallowing smaller ones and females eating males. A few species distributed in South America and Southeast Asia can also occasionally attack small animals such as small birds, lizards or frogs. They have protective coloration, and some also have mimicry, resembling their surroundings in order to prey on various pests. They are agile, taking only 0.01 seconds to capture prey, and eat only live insects, gripping their prey firmly with their spiny forelegs. When startled, they vibrate their wings with a rustling sound while displaying vivid warning coloration.

Spiders

Spiders mostly feed on insects, other spiders and myriapods, and some spiders also feed on small animals. Jumping spiders have excellent eyesight and can sneak within 30 cm of their prey before pouncing. Crab spiders wait for prey on flowers whose color resembles their own bodies. Burrowing spiders that live in the soil build silk-lined burrows with a trapdoor at the entrance that opens at night, preying on insects that pass by the opening. Funnel-web spiders weave funnel-shaped webs; when an insect lands in the web it causes a vibration, and the spider itself lives in the silk tube, whose narrow end leads into plant thickets or rock crevices.

Wasps

Wasps, also known as hornets, are insects with a wide distribution, great variety and rapid flight, belonging to the family Vespidae in the order Hymenoptera. Female wasps have a powerful long stinger on their bodies. When attacked or disturbed in an unfriendly way, they will attack in groups, which can cause allergic and toxic reactions in people, and in severe cases can lead to death. They usually build nests from softened wood pulp that resembles papier-mache, and feed on animal or plant food.

Parasitic wasps

Parasitic wasps are the most common type of parasitic insects. Unlike predatory insects, parasitic insects generally have adults that actively search for hosts. When a host is found, they lay their eggs inside its body. After the larvae hatch, they feed on the host's nutrients and coexist with the host for a period before causing the host to die. They cannot actively search for food on their own.