Do butterflies have brains?
A brain gives instructions on how to keep us alive and healthy. It decides which behaviors are most important for survival and acts accordingly.
Yes, butterflies have a brain like all other insects, and they use it mainly for migration purposes. They have a cerebral ganglion located in their head, while the subesophageal ganglion (central nervous system) is situated in the thorax. Their brain is not extra-embryonic, and it controls the nervous system while they migrate.
Butterflies use their brain to immigrate and find locate places during their immigration during September. Monarch butterflies are predominantly known for this kind of immigration. The fact that butterflies migrate over land and endure long, cold winters makes them a symbol of courage to many.
Butterflies travel from warm portions of the world to cooler sections of the world to breed and hibernate. In order to locate a mate, the butterfly will have to move from these warmer locations. Long-distance migratory, such as monarch butterflies, conserve energy by gliding with their wings in a flat “V.”
Is a butterfly’s brain the same as the one it has as a caterpillar?
The process of metamorphosis is much more gradual than you might imagine. The caterpillar goes through small changes for weeks or months before the final metamorphosis.
Some of these changes may be hard to see and not as dramatic as you might imagine. As a result, most brain tissue is broken down and rebuilt during this metamorphosis.
However, they are not completely broken down; the broken cells are primarily those that send signals to the body, causing them to move as the entire body restructures.
Butterflies also have a slightly different brain structure. Their brains have a body that is completely covered by a membrane, which is just a thin layer of tissue, and this one is slightly used for heating and cooling the body.
Note: Butterflies have a brain that is not extra-embryonic, and it is the part of the brain that feeds the nervous system.
Conclusion:
In short, butterflies do have a brain, and it controls the nervous system of the butterfly while they use it for migration. Also, their brain is broken down and restructured during metamorphosis!