The Lepidoptera

The Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) are one of the largest groups of insects with over 150,000 named species. This book deals with their structure and function, environmental significance, and diversity. Part 1 provides a review of the main body parts with discussion of function and importance in the lifestyle of the organisms. Further chapters cover feeding, flight, migration, hearing, sound production, defence and many other aspects of lepidopteran life. The environmental significance of Lepidoptera, which is summarized in Part 2, is discussed mainly in terms of larvae as herbivores and as prey. In Part 3, the author provides a global conspectus of the Lepidoptera. He describes the adults and immature stages of each family, and summarizes their biology, classification and evolutionary relationships within and between groups.