Nobody Ever Suspects the Butterfly Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Suspect description: white wings with one or two pairs of black spots and black-tipped forewings Known aliases: large white, great white, Pieris brassicae Last known location: Europe, North Africa, Asia (most continents, in fact) Our first suspect is a known loiterer, especially in vegetable garden districts. We ran a trace on it, and it appears to be particularly fond of squatting on cruciferous plants of the Brassica genus. Its name matches this description. It also has a minor accomplice known as the "small white". What butterfly is it?

Answer: cabbage white

The cabbage white, sometimes mistakenly called the "cabbage moth" due to its slightly furry appearance, is a butterfly of the Pieridae family. It is a common butterfly that has adapted to live on most continents, and this species now has non-native populations in North America, South America and Oceania. These butterflies are often considered pests to vegetable farmers as they tend to lay eggs on cabbages and other similar plants. Beyond the damage that their general reproductive practices create, the butterfly larvae can often bore into the heads of the cabbage and get stuck, leading to vegetables being full of holes or even full of butterfly larvae itself upon purchasing.

The scientific name for cabbage is Brassica oleracea, and you can see where the Pieris brassicae might have gotten its name.

2. Suspect description: orange and black, white dots on its outer wings; telling black hind stripe Known aliases: Limenitis archippus Last known location: North America (from Canada to Mexico) This butterfly suspect appears to be wearing a disguise, or at the very least mimicking its cousin, the monarch, perhaps out of jealousy of its lesser position in human hierarchical governing structures. Yet, its defense mechanisms are as equally unpleasant as the monarch, so take care when approaching it. Which butterfly is our suspect now?

Answer: viceroy

The viceroy butterfly and the monarch butterfly have strikingly similar characteristics, and the viceroy used to be considered an example of Batesian mimicry. This type of mimicry occurs when one species evolves to look like another species, imitating its warning signals. The first species has none of the defensive qualities of the latter, but it gets the evolutionary advantage of not being eaten by the predators of the other species.

However, further studies have argued that the viceroy is actually an example of M�llerian mimicry in that it evolved its appearance alongside the monarch and that BOTH species contain similar defense mechanisms. This means the viceroy isn't simply taking advantage of the monarch's color pattern without its defensive qualities, but that both species have similar color patterns and defensive techniques.

One of the main differences in appearance between the monarch and the viceroy is a black stripe on the hind of the viceroy's wing that is not present in monarchs. This is perhaps the easiest way to tell the two butterflies apart.

3. Suspect description: maroon or brown body with pale yellow edges and bluish spots Known aliases: Camberwell beauty, Nymphalis antiopa Last known location: Eurasia, North America We are looking for a veteran criminal as this creature has one of the longest lifespans of any butterfly. We are also combing areas that are known to be cold, as can be inferred by its climate and the "piece of clothing" that it "wears". Finally, this butterfly uses its dark clothing to keep itself in action and soak up the warm sun. Which of these matches this butterfly's description?

Answer: mourning cloak

The mourning cloak butterfly is most often found in cold climates. To keep warm, the butterfly will often open its wings and let the sun soak into its dark "cloak". Its dark wings also act as a form of camouflage that blends into the bark of nearby trees.

The "mourning cloak" name is used in North America and has its roots in German and other Scandinavian languages, suggesting that its North American name came from those cultures. In the U.K., it is called the Camberwell beauty, named after a district in London, England.

4. Suspect description: black body and wings with red bands and white spots Known aliases: Vanessa atalanta Last known location: North and South America, Asia, Europe, North Africa This suspect is quite territorial and will patrol near its home to keep out other males. Intruders are attacked viciously, though around authority figures such as humans, it will act friendly. Which of these butterflies is it?

Answer: red admiral

The red admiral is an intensely territorial butterfly, with males patrolling their territory relentlessly. This is--perhaps--for good reason, as females will only mate with males who control their own territory. Though the butterfly is known for being aggressive with members of its own species, it is curiously friendly towards humans and will interact with them without much ado. Perhaps this is why red admirals are popular in literature, especially Russian literature.

5. Suspect description: reddish-orange body with black and yellow forewings Known aliases: Aglais urticae Last known location: Europe and Asia Though its name suggests otherwise, this suspect lacks any real body armor and spends its winter months hiding in sheds or garages. We also discovered that it has an affinity for a certain plant and will spend a lot of effort finding this "nettle." What butterfly is it?

Answer: small tortoiseshell

The small tortoiseshell has no particular armor or other protective covering, though they are known for being territorial and chasing other butterflies and insects from their territory. They are common butterflies, though parasites such as the parasitic fly have contributed to their recent decline. They are also very susceptible to droughts, and their larvae have difficulty feeding during particularly dry weather periods.

If one wants to attract the small tortoiseshell, their best bet would be to plant some nettles, as this butterfly's larvae counts it as its main food source. Stinging nettle is particularly effective at attracting this species as opposed to other butterflies. In fact, the small tortoiseshell is so attached to this plant, that the "urticae" portion of its scientific name, Aglais urticae, refers to the nettle.

6. Suspect description: yellow wings with black stripes Known aliases: Papilio glaucus Last known location: Eastern United States This suspect has intimidating features that might look similar to another animal to the human eye. Normally solitary, it might group up with other individuals when "puddling," a practice in which the suspect will fly in swiftly, suck up fluid from rotting matter, and then take off with its loot. Which of these butterflies is the suspect?

Answer: eastern tiger swallowtail

The eastern tiger swallowtail is named due to the stripes on its wings that resemble a tiger's stripes. They are common throughout the eastern United States and are perhaps one of the most-recognized species in the country, with some of the species reaching as far north as Canada.

Puddling is a common practice for butterflies and some other insect species, but do not be tricked. These butterflies generally aren't keen to form groups, instead remaining solitary until mating time.

7. Suspect description: bright blue wings with black borders and a black swallowtail Known aliases: blue emperor, mountain blue Last known location: Oceania, Southeast Asian islands This suspect has quite a reputation in Australia and is often used as an unofficial emblem for the country. Yet, approaching it directly leaves the butterfly a bit skittish, making it difficult to photograph. Some surmise that this is because the butterfly's bright blue color makes it a prime candidate for predation, so its best defense is to fly off at any sign of danger. Perhaps if we call out its scientific name, looking to ancient Greek literature to help us remember, the butterfly will stay put. What should we call out?

Answer: Papilio ulysses

The Ulysses butterfly is an emblem of Queensland, Australia, and the local government tries to promote tourism to the area with the beautiful creature. The butterfly is not endangered, but the government does require permits if one wishes to breed this particular species. If you wish to see it in the wild, you'll have to travel to its rainforest habitat. If you'd like to photograph it, be prepared to keep as still as possible. It is a species that is notorious for flying off if it senses even the smallest of movements.

The butterfly's scientific name comes from the Roman name for Odysseus (Ulysses), though it is known by other names as well.

8. Suspect description: pale yellow wings with a brownish red hindwing spot Known aliases: Colias philodice Last known location: North America You'll find this suspect feeding on the nectar of milkweed, coneflower, alfalfa, and even dandelion. But we might want to go back to the most basic of "elements" if we are to catch it. Which butterfly is it?

Answer: clouded sulphur

Let's go back to the most basic of elements! The European cousins of the clouded sulphur are where the etymology of the word "butterfly" is believed to have come. There are a couple of theories. The first is that word simply refers to the yellow color of the insect, while another theory posits that an old English belief that these insects stole butter led to their name.

Whatever the true etymology of the word "butterfly" is, one could see that the clouded sulphur certainly looks a bit like the foodstuff. There are several other sulphur butterflies, though thinking about sulphur and butter at the same time isn't exactly appealing.

9. Suspect description: large wings with brilliant green and black colors Known aliases: Siproeta stelenes Last known location: Central and South America This suspect has an alias that comes from a green-colored mineral, and it's no wonder since it sports bright green on its wings. Take care while approaching its larvae and pupae, however, as the first contains sharp red spikes and the second golden spikes that both have the potential to puncture any predators. Which of these species is it?

Answer: malachite

Named for the green mineral known as malachite, the malachite butterfly is one of the few species of butterfly that sports the color green. Interestingly, the caterpillar of the malachite contains no green, being a shade of deep black with sharp red spines protruding from its back. Its pupae also protects itself with small gold-colored spikes.

10. Suspect description: numerous forms, most containing shades of black Known aliases: Papilio polytes Last known location: South and Southeast Asia Because the females of this suspect's species are highly polymorphic (meaning they come in many forms), males may have mates that can vary drastically in appearance. We know that they sometimes have multiple female mates at the same time, leading to this butterfly's polygamy-inspired name. Which butterfly is it?

Answer: common Mormon

The common Mormon and other Mormon butterflies get their name from the fact that the LDS Church once espoused the practice of polygamy and male members of this species sometimes have multiple, polymorphic mates. The females are also mimetic, taking on the appearance of other common butterflies in the habitats in which they dwell.

Common Mormons are, as their name suggests, common. As they are found in both South and Southeast Asia, they are famous for their feeding on the nectar of citrus trees.

Source: Author trident

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rossian before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

"Nobody ever suspects the butterfly," Bart Simpson ponders as he becomes this mischievous invertebrate in his next life, burning down his school in the process. Would you suspect these ten specimens?

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