Is it not bad to touch a butterfly or a moth?

Question

Doesn't it stop them from flying because of that powder on their wings?

Random question but I always heard that you shouldn't handle them by hand for that reason.

Answer 1

yes pouder and poison on moth

Answer 2

The powder is actually scales that you are rubbing off. As long as you don't rub most of the scales off their wings, they will probably grow back.

Answer 3

You can, just don't over do it. The scales help them fly and when we touch their wings, it makes flying harder... but it grows back pretty fast so you should be fine =) If you do want to pick up a butterfly, pick it up quickly and put it sitting on your finger so it's body is resting on you not the delicate wings.

Answer 4

Yes ... DO NOT TOUCH THEM unless of course yew want to kill them.

Answer 5

um i dunno but nothing evr happened to me wen i did that lol. dont worry, we're stronger than any insect on earth

Answer 6

The oil on ur hands is bad for their wings and it makes them unable to fly... so yes its bad to touch butterfly/moth wings

Answer 7

When you touch a butterfly, you get dust on your hands. Ever wondered what it really is? I did, but never thought this much about it before. Butterflies and moths belonging to the genus Lepidoptera, meaning scale-wing, are named referring to the scale cell structures on its wings.

Butterfly has four wings; a pair of forewings and a pair of hindwings. These wings are composed of two very fine membrane layers (chitonous) which are supported and nourished by tubular veins (also functions in breathing). Tiny sockets in these membranes hold each individual scale, providing further support to the delicate wing. The scales are arranged in such a pattern, overlapping each other like shingles on a roof. Butterfly wings will not be structurally sound and strong if you remove a bunch of them, thus harming the small insect. This ridges of our fingerprint or oil on our skin is more than enough to pry these wing scales loose, even with the slightest (caring) touch. The dust that comes off, when you touch a butterfly is its wing scales. Be careful next time you wish to touch it! You could endanger it’s life without meaning to harm it.