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Quiz about Whats in a Butterflys Name
Quiz about Whats in a Butterflys Name

What's in a Butterfly's Name? Trivia Quiz

I give you a brief description of the butterfly, you tell me its name. All are English butterflies, though most are common elsewhere.

A multiple-choice quiz by Rhubarbeater. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Rhubarbeater
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
364,996
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
311
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Question 1 of 10
1. The smallest English butterfly, it is more brown than blue. Its scientific names mean 'Roman god of love' and 'smallest'. Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. The eyes on this stunning butterfly's wings are said to scare birds away, but that is debatable. Its scientific names are 'a girl beloved by Zeus and transformed into a heifer by him' and 'the girl's father'. Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. A very pretty butterfly found in great numbers in gardens on buddleia and sedum. It has lovely markings in orange, cream and blue, and its scientific names mean 'beautiful' and 'nettles'. Hint


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Question 4 of 10
4. A harbinger of summer, this butterfly is often seen on bluebells or dancing over its main foodplant, garlic mustard. Its scientific names mean 'bitter-cress' and 'grace of a flower'. Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. In a good year, millions of these remarkable butterflies swarm into England from North Africa. They can't overwinter in the British climate. Its scientific names mean 'a mountain, birthplace of the goddess Diana' and 'thistles'. Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. Perhaps the most well-known of English butterflies though by no means the most common, it has bright orange and white markings on velvety black upper wings. Its scientific names are 'a poet's heroine' and 'a beautiful mythical female athlete who killed her suitors when they lost to her in a race'. Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. Ragged wings and blur of orange brown - that's how you first spot this butterfly. However if you can get close to it, you will see a curious white mark on the underwings. Its scientific name means 'many angles' and 'white discal mark'. Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. A royal treetop inhabitant, rarely seen except when it glides majestically to the forest floor to drink from puddles. Its scientific name may mean 'deceptive tail' and 'messenger of the gods'. Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. Perhaps the most exotically coloured blue butterfly in England, with metallic azure wings that look electric in the sunshine. Its scientific name means 'an Egyptian princess' and 'beautiful, hundred-eyed guardian' though its English name is more apt. Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. And finally, our most exotic butterfly, full stop. It resembles the bird whose name it carries, and is found only in certain fens in east Anglia. Its scientific name means 'butterfly' and 'a doctor who served with the Greeks in the Trojan war'. Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The smallest English butterfly, it is more brown than blue. Its scientific names mean 'Roman god of love' and 'smallest'.

Answer: Small blue

 Cupido minimus (the small blue) is dark brown/smoky black with a dusting of blue scales. It loves kidney vetch, and basking in the sunshine with its wings half open.
2. The eyes on this stunning butterfly's wings are said to scare birds away, but that is debatable. Its scientific names are 'a girl beloved by Zeus and transformed into a heifer by him' and 'the girl's father'.

Answer: Peacock

 Inachis io (the peacock) has four yellow/blue/purple/russet eyes on its upper wings. After her transformation, the girl Io was looked after by the hundred-eyed Argus, who was eventually slain by Zeus and whose eyes were moved onto the peacock's feathers. Hence the butterfly's common name reflects Greek legend AND its most identifiable feature! Io's father was called Inachis.
3. A very pretty butterfly found in great numbers in gardens on buddleia and sedum. It has lovely markings in orange, cream and blue, and its scientific names mean 'beautiful' and 'nettles'.

Answer: Small tortoiseshell

 Aglais urticae (the small tortoiseshell) - this beautiful nettle-muncher (as a caterpillar of course) hibernates, and can often be woken by a warm spell in winter, or found hanging bat-like in the darkest recesses of your garage.
4. A harbinger of summer, this butterfly is often seen on bluebells or dancing over its main foodplant, garlic mustard. Its scientific names mean 'bitter-cress' and 'grace of a flower'.

Answer: Orangetip

 Anthocaris cardamines (orangetip) is my favourite butterfly for the bright orange wing-tips of the male, and the striking mottled green camouflage of both sexes' underwings.
5. In a good year, millions of these remarkable butterflies swarm into England from North Africa. They can't overwinter in the British climate. Its scientific names mean 'a mountain, birthplace of the goddess Diana' and 'thistles'.

Answer: Painted lady

 Cynthia cardui (the painted lady) has a powerful gliding flight, and can often be found with small tortoiseshells and peacocks on buddleia in late summer. The name Cynthia may well have poetic origins, as it was a much beloved girls' name in centuries gone by.
6. Perhaps the most well-known of English butterflies though by no means the most common, it has bright orange and white markings on velvety black upper wings. Its scientific names are 'a poet's heroine' and 'a beautiful mythical female athlete who killed her suitors when they lost to her in a race'.

Answer: Red admiral

 Vanessa atalanta (the red admiral) is I think more striking from underneath. Its hindwings are a plush mix of sombre yet rich colours. Atalanta was the formidable female athlete of legend.
7. Ragged wings and blur of orange brown - that's how you first spot this butterfly. However if you can get close to it, you will see a curious white mark on the underwings. Its scientific name means 'many angles' and 'white discal mark'.

Answer: Comma

 Polygonia c-album (the comma) is refreshingly literal in its scientific name - a many edged wing with a white comma shaped mark underneath. It is mainly seen in the southern part of England.
8. A royal treetop inhabitant, rarely seen except when it glides majestically to the forest floor to drink from puddles. Its scientific name may mean 'deceptive tail' and 'messenger of the gods'.

Answer: Purple emperor

 Apatura iris (the purple emperor) is a handsome, purple creature that congregates on a master tree, often an oak, before swooping off to find sallows in which they lay their eggs.
9. Perhaps the most exotically coloured blue butterfly in England, with metallic azure wings that look electric in the sunshine. Its scientific name means 'an Egyptian princess' and 'beautiful, hundred-eyed guardian' though its English name is more apt.

Answer: Adonis blue

 Lysandra bellargus (the Adonis blue) has two broods each year on south-facing chalkland. It has a mesmerising colour, well suited to its common name of 'Adonis', the beautiful youth beloved of Aphrodite.
10. And finally, our most exotic butterfly, full stop. It resembles the bird whose name it carries, and is found only in certain fens in east Anglia. Its scientific name means 'butterfly' and 'a doctor who served with the Greeks in the Trojan war'.

Answer: Swallowtail

 Papilio machaon (the swallowtail) has a huge wingspan and long tails beneath a yellow and blue coloration, with orange eyespots. You would think it more at home in an Indonesian rainforest.
Source: Author Rhubarbeater

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Tizzabelle before going online.
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Referenced Topics
Animals   English   England   Wild Birds   African Geography   Names   Insects   English People   Blue   The Color Black   Green   Poets   The Trojan War   Greek Language   Purple   Trees   Zeus   Orange   Butterflies and Moths   White  

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