Butterflies range in size from a tiny 2cm to a huge 30cm.

  The top butterfly flight speed is 12 miles per hour. Some moths can fly 25 miles per hour!

  There are about 24,000 species of butterflies. The moths are even more numerous: about 140,000 species of them were counted all over the world.

  Many butterflies can taste with their feet! This is so when they land on a leaf they check it for taste to decide whether to lay their eggs on it. So, when the caterpillar is born it will have tasty food right on its doorstep!

  There is a common myth that touching a butterfly will kill it. This is not true, but you will damage it and rub off the tiny coloured scales which make up the delicate wing. Butterflies are better watched than touched.

  Butterflies are cold blooded, and can often be seen soaking up heat from the sun, basking with their wings open.

  Many butterflies are territorial and fight, chasing others out of their territory.

  Butterflies can see ultraviolet light (light invisible to the human eye) which makes the markings on flowers very vivid to them and guides them to the nectar.  Some butterflies have ultraviolet markings on their own wings which are only visible to other butterflies.

  Female butterflies usually are bigger and live longer than male butterflies.

  Butterflies react very quickly to changes in their environment which makes them excellent indicators to any alterations in natural surroundings. If the number of butterflies decline, it is an early warning for other wildlife losses.

  Count the butterflies you see in your garden or nearby park and Squeet! us your findings