Butterflies are such beautiful and delicate creatures that it's amazing how they can exist in this world full of dangers. Our photo selection contains the most beautiful butterflies in the world - living masterpieces of nature.
10. Morpho menelaus (blue morpho Menelaus)
One of the most beautiful butterflies in the world impresses with its wings that reach 12 centimeters in span. But those who love to explore butterflies and learn more than the photographs show, know that the gorgeous blue of morpho blue is just a play of light. While the "wrong side" of the wings is colored brown and decorated with "eyes" of different sizes. This helps the insect to camouflage and hide from predators such as birds, frogs and lizards.
Some Amazonian tribes consider this butterfly a sacred messenger of Heaven, which can convey the desires of people to the gods.
9. Protographium marcellus (zebra sailing butterfly)
Can you imagine a zebra that can fly? But this really exists. Only this is not a real zebra with hooves and a tail, but an elegant butterfly, the color of which bears a resemblance to this beautiful animal.
If you are traveling in the northern part of America or Canada, then you can expect to meet this beautiful black and white creature.
8. Papilio palinurus (Sailboat Palinur)
This butterfly is part of a large family of sailfish butterflies of 550 different species around the world. The sailboat Palinur, aka the emerald swallowtail and the peacock butterfly, is one of the largest and brightest butterflies in the world.
These wonderful winged creatures are commonly found in Southeast Asia and have velvety green-streaked wings. Such an interesting color allows the emerald swallowtail to live quietly its short life (up to 10 days), merging with the foliage.
7. Aglais io (Peacock eye)
Photos of the most beautiful butterflies in the world delight with bright colors, but even among them the Peacock Eye stands out for its luxurious color. The main background of the wings is red-brown or red-brown. But attention is attracted not so much by him as by 4 large "eyes" with blue spots. The color of each butterfly depends on the temperatures acting on the pupa.
6. Greta oto (Glass butterfly)
One of the most beautiful living creatures in the world has transparent wings. But Mother Nature created them not for beauty, but to protect them from predators, for which it becomes very difficult to catch a glass butterfly. After all, only the reddish-brown edges of her wings are visible.
It is one of the few butterfly species that is characterized by dimorphism between males and females. Females have less vivid colors, as is necessary for the continuation of the species.
However, even if a predator catches and eats a glass butterfly, it will most likely get acute poisoning. After all, this tiny creature feeds mainly on poisonous plants of the genus cestrum, and toxic alkaloids accumulate in its body.
5. Parnassius apollo (Apollo butterfly)
White symbolizes tenderness and purity. It can look very boring at times. However, the white with deep red and black spots is the perfect combination that the Apollo butterfly proudly carries on its wings.
The central part of her body is covered with snow-white hairs, which only enhance the feeling of subtlety and fragility of this creature.
These insects are interesting not only for their appearance, but also for their protective strategy. In the form of larvae, the Apollo butterfly has a dark color, and thus disguises itself from enemies. Adult butterflies cannot use color for camouflage and instead emit an unpleasant odor to ward off predators.
4. Pachliopta hector (Sailboat hector or Rose Hector)
In the photo with the names of the most beautiful butterflies in the world, we usually notice the luxurious colors of their wings. However, Rosa Hector has, above all, a noticeable bright red belly. And the beautiful black-white-red wings are only the final part of the appearance of this unique creature, which would look great on the rarest flowers in the world.
Nature does not create anything for nothing, and the beautiful appearance of this butterfly simply screams that it is dangerous. Indeed, at the caterpillar stage, it feeds on plants of the Kirkazonovye family, containing aristolochic acid. And accumulates poison in his body.
3. Chrysiridia rhipheus (Urania Madagascar)
The birthplace of this amazing moth with luxurious flowers is, you guessed it, Madagascar. This insect stands out not only for its beauty, but also for its large size. Its wings reach 7-9 centimeters in span. There are small tails on the back wings, which gives the butterfly an unusual look.
Like most other colorful butterflies, Urania Madagascar is poisonous.
2. Diaethria (dietary)
Each photo of the most beautiful butterflies is interesting in its own way. But you definitely will not confuse this butterfly with any other. Its unofficial name is "butterfly eighty-eight".
It is to this number that the white and black stripes on the lower wings of the diet are added. The genus Diaethria includes 12 species, and all of them are decorated with a pattern in the form of 88. Although there are originals who decided to stand out and "painted" 89 for themselves.
This marked beauty lives in Peru, Brazil and Bolivia and eats rotten fruits.
1.Argema mittrei (Madagascar comet)
Even if you do not agree that this is the most beautiful butterfly in the world, you will surely admit that it is the longest. After all, no other butterfly has such a luxurious tail, which reaches a length of 16 centimeters.
Each wing is the size of an adult's palm, decorated with beautiful "eyes". And it is not surprising, because the Madagascar comet belongs to the family of peacock eyes.
These butterflies eat nothing at all and live off the nutrients accumulated in the caterpillar stage. Therefore, their flight is beautiful, but very short-lived - 1-3 days.