Roman Romanchuk, senior lecturer at the Zoology Department of the D. I. Ivanovsky Academy of Biology and Medicine of the Southern Federal University, told about the secrets of the collection of the Zoological Museum of the Southern Federal University and whether it is possible to put a butterfly at home.

The collection of butterflies of the Zoological Museum of the Southern Federal University has been formed for decades and today has several thousand specimens.

"The collection fund began to be replenished most actively in the second half of the 20th century. Key contributions were made by such scientists as Alexander Nikolaevich Poltavsky, Boris Vitalievich Stradomsky, Georgy Bakhtazde and others. In recent years, thanks to the efforts of young lepidopterists, active work has been underway to expand the collection of microspheroptera," says the scientist.

Historical collections are of particular value. The museum houses exhibits from expeditions to Southeast Asia dating back to the 19th century. But the main pride is the collection of leaf—turning butterflies of the early and mid-20th century.

"The gathering took place during the years of such significant historical events as the First Russian Revolution of 1905-1907 and the Great Patriotic War. Voluminous series of pest flyers were collected by a well-known specialist in the biology of pests of field crops, Valentina Petrovna Romanova, immediately before the war, in the spring of 1941," Roman Romanchuk shares.

The world of butterflies is full of amazing and little—known facts: some species have very unusual eating habits, and there are also caterpillars that live with ants. Some butterflies feed on the tears of animals — deer, birds, crocodiles, and some species sometimes drink blood, including human blood (one of these is found in the Rostov region). Caterpillars of moths of the genus Ceratophaga eat keratin from the horns, hooves and fur of dead animals; there are species capable of digesting plastic or hunting other insects.

"The caterpillars of a number of species of pigeon moths live in anthills. They secrete a sweet liquid that ants love, and in return they protect them from enemies. This phenomenon is called myrmecophilia. In some species, wing reduction is observed — most often, females are wingless, while males retain the ability to fly," adds Roman Romanchuk.

Butterflies have their own centenarians. While most lepidoptera live from 2 to 4 weeks, lemongrass can delight the eye for up to 10-12 months. Peacock's eye, Admiral, anglerfly c-white, and mourning moth can live up to 10 months.

More and more often, people are thinking about getting a butterfly instead of a cat or a dog at home. According to Roman Viktorovich, the reason is usually aesthetics, although there is also a practical interest: breeding butterflies allows you to observe the complex life cycles of insects using a specific example. However, the biologist warns: keeping butterflies at home is more difficult than it seems.

"Unpretentious species that do not require complex breeding and feeding procedures are suitable for beginners. First of all, these are large tropical butterflies from the genus Caligo or some species of peacock—eyes that do not need to be fed at all," the expert advises.

For a comfortable life, butterflies need a spacious garden — at least 50-60 centimeters in height and 30-40 in width. Height is more important than width in this case: the higher the better, this will allow the butterflies to fly relatively comfortably. The material should be safe for the wings — it is recommended to make the walls of a small mosquito net or tulle. Ventilation should be constant and intensive, but without drafts. Diurnal butterflies need to maintain 12-14 hours of daylight, and most tropical species require 60-80% humidity. It also requires daily spraying of the walls of the cage with warm boiled water from a small spray bottle, but you need to spray the walls or the air, not the butterflies themselves.

Feeding also requires attention. Caterpillars feed on strictly defined plants, and the diet depends on the specific species. Adults are fed sugar or honey syrup.

"You need to feed the butterflies once a day. They can go without food for a day or two, but for an active and relatively long life it is better to feed regularly. You need to pour a little syrup into a shallow lid or saucer, gently take the butterfly by the chest at the base of the wings and plant its front paws in the syrup. Butterflies have taste buds on their paws, so when they touch food, they must unfold their proboscis and start drinking. If this does not happen, you can gently help with a toothpick to unfold the proboscis and lower it into a drop of syrup. The feeding process can take from 2 to 15 minutes. In addition, you can use overripe or slightly rotten fruits: oranges, bananas, apples and others," Roman Viktorovich recommends.

It is quite difficult to choose a bouquet of forage plants for caterpillars. You need to clearly understand what kind of butterflies you have at home, and find the right plant in advance. It can be harvested in nature, grown independently, or ordered together with pupae from breeders, who often provide food. And the ingredients for feeding imago can be purchased at a regular store.

Like any pet, butterflies have pros and cons. Among the advantages, the expert calls space saving, hypoallergenic, quiet, odorless and aesthetic pleasure. Disadvantages — short life, fragility, difficulties with feeding caterpillars, the need to constantly maintain specific conditions and the inability to leave and leave a pet. The species that are traditionally used as pets are safe for children, allergy sufferers and other animals in the home, the biologist emphasizes.

"For those who are just deciding to have a butterfly, I will give three main tips: read a lot of thematic literature and consult with knowledgeable people, start with pupae, not eggs or caterpillars, and buy everything you need in advance," Roman Romanchuk adds.

The collection of the SFedU Zoological Museum continues to be replenished today, remaining not only a scientific fund, but also an important educational resource. It helps to study biodiversity, the dynamics of species distribution and ecosystem changes under human influence. According to the expert, the interest in keeping butterflies at home is also an opportunity to better understand their life cycle and behavioral patterns through personal observation.