Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms	Explanation/s - in alphabetical order:	Glossary of Terms	Explanation/s - in alphabetical order:
Abdomen	The last lower, and largest part of the body of an insect.	Mandible	Jaws, used to crush and consume food.
Aberration	A specimen that is noticeably unlike others of the same species, abbreviated to ab.	Manky	A term to describe wild and domesticated Mallard hybrids.
Aestivation	A summer resting period between stages of development, when no activity takes place.	Meconium	Liquid waste ejected by recently emerged adult Lepidoptera, it varies in colour depending on the species. Left over materials from the pupal stage.
Anal	The rear end of an insect, i.e. anal claspers are a set of legs at the rear end of a larva.	Melanic	A black, or dark grey form of a species, i.e. the
Anisoptera	Scientific term used for Dragonflies.	Metathorax	The lower of the three components, or parts that make up an insects thorax.
Apex	The top corner of the fore wing, where the side and leading edge join.	Migrant/s	Birds, Moths and Butterflies that migrate to/from our shores, in Spring, summer and autumn.
Brood	A new generation of adult insects, some species have more than one brood each year.	Moulting	When a larva sheds its skin, which is replaced from underneath with a new one.
Carbonaria	A black, or dark grey form of a species, i.e. the Peppered Moth.	Nigra	A dark or melanic form of a species which is different to the normal appearance, i.e. the Scalloped Hazel moth has an ab. nigra.
Chrysalis	Another name for a Pupa, the third stage of the life cycle of some insects.	Nymph	The larval stage of some insects, i.e. dragonflies, damselflies and shield bugs.
Cilia	The fine fringe of hair like scales around the edge of some moths and butterflies.	Ocelli	Referring to the tiny primitive eyes of a larvae.
Ciliary	Relating to the cilia fringe; for instance dark ciliary lines found at the base of the hind wing of Agonopterix Ciliella.	Odonta	A collective term for damselflies and dragonflies.
Claspers	Rear set of legs on some larvae, mainly butterflies and moths.	Ovum/Ova	Egg/s
Claviform	Club shaped marking.	Ovipositing	Egg laying
Clutch	A group of eggs in a birds nest, laid within a few days of each other.	Ovipositor	A tube, or duct female insects use to deposit their eggs.
Cocoon	Construction made by a larva in which to pupate.	Postmedian	The part of the wing that falls between the centre and the outer edge.
Coleoptera	Collective, scientific name for an insect group which includes Beetles, and Ladybirds.	Proboscis	Tongue, or feeding tube of a moth, or butterfly.
Costa	The leading edge of the wing, the trailing edge of the wing.	Prolegs	The set of true legs on the rear half of a larva, not including the anal claspers.
Diapause	A summer resting period between stages of development, when no activity takes place.	Patagium	A part, or component of the upper thorax.
Dimorphic	Different, i.e. the male and female Common Blue are sexually dimorphic, they differ in appearance.	Pupa/Pupae	Chrysalis, the stage between larva and adult.
Dorsal	Top of the Back.	Reniform	Kidney, or bean shaped mark.
Dorsum	Referring to the dorsal area, on the top of the Back.	Rhopalocera	Collective, scientific name for all Butterflies.
Eclipse Plumage	Male Ducks often lose their bright breeding colours during late summer to mid winter.	Scutellum	The scutellum is a small triangular plate on the thorax of some insects (i.e. shield bugs) behind the outer edges of the thorax, and between the forewing bases.
Fascia	Outer, or visible surface area.	Segments	The individual sections that make up the thorax and abdomen of some insects, like caterpillars and dragonflies.
Filament/s	Long thin fleshy protrusions that project from some larvae, i.e. the larvae of the Alder moth and the Light Emerald have filaments.	Semi-looper	A caterpillar that is not a looper, but doe's not have four full pairs of true legs.
Foodplant/s	The plant, or types of plants consumed by some larvae.	Spiracle/s	A row of small holes along the sides of caterpillars, used to breath.
Frass	Waste products, or droppings (stools) passed by larvae.	Stigma	A small spot, or mark.
Frenulum	Waste products, or droppings (stools) passed by larvae.	Subreniform	Kidney, or bean shaped marking near the trailing edge of the wing.
Frons	Referring to the fore head region of an insect.	Subterminal	Near to the apex of the wing on the costa.
Genitalia	Sexual reproductive organs.	Tegula	A part, or component of the thorax.
Genitals	Sexual reproductive organs.	Teneral	Some adult insects such as dragonflies, and shield bugs do not achieve their mature colouration immediately on emergence. At this immature adult stage they are referred to as 'Teneral'.
Hemiptera	Collective, scientific name for bugs, Shield Bugs are in this group.	Termen	The outer edge of the wing, adjoining the leading and trailing edges of the wing.
Hermaphrodite	An insect, or animal that has developed part male and part female, Hermaphrodites are rare.	Thoracic	Relating to the thorax.
Heterocera	Collective, scientific name for all Moths.	Thoracic Legs	The first three pairs of legs of a larva nearest to the head, and differ from true legs, and anal claspers.
Heteroptera	Referring to the family of insects that includes shield bugs.	Thorax	The second largest of the three main body parts of an insect, that comes between the head and the abdomen.
Hibernation	A period of deep sleep and totally inactivity, resembling a comatose condition, used to survive through the cold winter months.	Tornus	The lower corner of the outer edge of the wing, adjoining the trailing edge and outer edge of the wing.
Imago	An adult (mature) insect.	Torpid	A temporary state of dormancy, inactivity or sluggishness. Insects that play dead as a defensive measure are said to be torpid, also become torpid when the temperatures are to low for them.
Incubation	The period after eggs being laid, and up to hatching out.	True Legs	Caterpillars have two three, or four pairs of true legs some times the first one, or two pairs are shorter.
Instar/s	The stages of a larva, or larvae between skin moults.	Zygoptera	The collective, scientific term for damselflies.
Juvenile	A young bird, or animal that has fledge, but is not yet mature.
Larva/Larvae	A young insect, between the egg and pupal stages. Only moth and butterfly larvae are called caterpillars.
Lepidoptera	The collective, scientific term for Butterflies and Moths.
Leucistic	A genetic defect that cause some or most of the colour to be replaced by white areas.
Lepidopteran	A member of the family of Lepidoptera.
Lepidopterist	A person who studies Butterflies and/or Moths.
Looper	A Geometridae caterpillar with only two pairs of true legs.
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