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Where do Lepidoptera live around the world?
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Lepidoptera
Heliconius butterfly in South America.
Lepidoptera, which includes moths, butterflies, and skippers, are found on every continent except Antarctica.1
While they are most numerous and diverse in the tropics, they have successfully adapted to nearly every environment on Earth. Their habitats range from arid deserts and high mountaintops to marshes and tropical rainforests. Some species are even capable of surviving at the limits of polar vegetation.1
Most lepidopterans are adapted to relatively restricted ecological niches, often limiting them to specific food plants or habitats. In some regions, particularly in North America, Europe, and Asia, relict populations have persisted since the last ice age by remaining in isolated southern mountaintops.1