Lepidoptera - Ecology

Ecology

Moths and Butterflies are important in the natural ecosystem. They are integral participants in the food chain, having co-evolved with flowering plants and predators, lepidopteran species have formed a network of trophic relationships between autotrophs and heterotrophs, which are included in the stages of Lepidoptera larvae, pupae and adults. Larvae and pupae are links in the diet of birds and parasitic entomophagous insects. The adults are included in food webs in a much broader range of consumers (including birds, small mammals, reptiles, etc.).