Although there are over 14,000 species of butterflies in the world, many are endangered and becoming extremely rare and precious. So, do you know which butterflies are the most valuable?
This article will introduce you to ten of the world's most prized butterflies: the Golden Birdwing, the Two-tailed Brown Birdwing, the Emperor Moth, the Alexandrine Birdwing, the Bird of Paradise, the Rose Crystal Eye, the Three-tailed Brown Birdwing, the Morpho Morpho, the Owl Butterfly, the Pearl of the Orient, and the 88-fold Swirl Butterfly. Let's learn about these precious butterflies together!
1. Golden-spotted Swallowtail Butterfly
The Golden Birdwing Butterfly is mainly distributed in Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, and Hainan provinces, and currently has only five subspecies. As a unique and precious species of China, it is known as the "National Butterfly" and the "Pride of Butterflies," and belongs to the world's rarest butterfly species.
Due to its rarity and preciousness, the Golden Birdwing Butterfly is China's only Class I protected butterfly, ranking first among the world's eight most precious butterflies. It is also known as the "Dream Butterfly" and a "living fossil of the world's animals." Its elegant posture, resembling a magnificent, noble, and radiant "lady," has earned it the title of "Queen of Butterflies." A single Golden Birdwing Butterfly once fetched a staggering million yuan at auction, demonstrating its exceptional rarity.
2. Two-tailed Brown Swallowtail Butterfly
The Two-tailed Brown Swallowtail (Papilionus spp.) belongs to the genus Papilionus in the family Papilionidae. It is a globally rare and precious butterfly. First discovered in western Yunnan, China in the 1930s, it is endemic to China, mainly distributed in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and is currently listed as a Class II protected animal in China.
First recorded in western Yunnan in the 1930s, it wasn't rediscovered until 1981 by mountaineers in Hokkaido, Japan, on Mount Gongga. The Two-tailed Brown Swallowtail is considered one of the most precious butterflies in the world.
3. Emperor Moth Yin-Yang Butterfly
The Emperor Moth is a butterfly species endemic to South America and is one of the rarest butterfly species, typically found only once in ten million butterflies. Its wings exhibit significant differences in shape, color, and size.
This butterfly possesses a pair of wings that are different in shape, asymmetrical, and distinct in sex; the left wing is female, and the right wing is male, thus exhibiting a mixed-sex characteristic. Due to the difference in the shape of these two wings, the Emperor Moth Yin-Yang Butterfly cannot fly, and its lifespan is only 6 days.
4. Alexandrine Birdwing Butterfly
The Alexandrine Birdwing Butterfly is the largest butterfly in the world. It was first named by Rothschild in 1907 in honor of Queen Alexandra (1844-1925), wife of King Edward VII. This butterfly is found only in the Northern Province of eastern New Guinea.
Since 1989, the Alexandrine Birdwing Butterfly has been listed as an endangered species, and due to its scarcity, it commands extremely high value on the black market. This species is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as a Class I protected species, classifying it as an endangered species.
5. Bird of Paradise Butterfly
male
The Bird-of-Paradise butterfly is a large butterfly belonging to the genus *Papilion* in the family Papilionidae of the order Lepidoptera. It is found only in New Guinea and its surrounding islands. This species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism, with females being larger, yellowish-green, and having more rounded and wider wings.
female
Their larvae parasitize poisonous Aristolochia plants to protect themselves. This species is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), classified as a Class II endangered species, and hunting it is prohibited.
6. Rose Crystal Eye Butterfly
The Rose Crystal Butterfly is like a fairy from nature, with completely transparent wings and a brilliant red underside, making it both beautiful and rare. Furthermore, the transparent parts of this butterfly are free of scales, truly a testament to the wonders of nature.
Its captivating tail and completely transparent wings make this a coveted item among many collectors.
This butterfly is rated R (Level 1) by the International Union for Conservation of Wild Fauna and Flora (IUCN) and is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi and other regions of China.
7. Three-tailed Brown Swallowtail Butterfly
The Three-tailed Brown Swallowtail, also known as the Western China Brown Swallowtail or the Three-tailed Swallowtail, is a medium-sized butterfly endemic to China. Its forewings are 42 to 48 millimeters long, and its hindwings have three tail-like projections, hence its name. This butterfly is mainly distributed in Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Shaanxi provinces of China. It is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is also a Class II protected animal in China.
Currently, the number of Three-tailed Brown Swallowtail butterflies is quite small, and in some areas where they were originally recorded, this butterfly has hardly reappeared in the past decade.
8. Morpho Butterfly
The Morpho heliotrope, also known as the Helena Morpho butterfly, is hailed as one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. Its wings, resembling a deep blue ocean with vivid white waves, are a spectacular display of color and pattern. Morpho heliotrope is mainly distributed in Brazil and Peru, particularly in the Amazon River basin of Peru in South America. Due to its rarity and low reproductive rate, the Morpho heliotrope is considered very precious.
Although a large number of artificial breeding programs have been carried out in Peru and the butterfly is now available for export, and it can also be seen occasionally in China, wild Morpho butterflies remain extremely rare and valuable.
9. Owl Butterfly
The owl butterfly is a well-known and common large butterfly in the world. Its wings resemble the face of an owl, exhibiting a very clever camouflage effect.
The owl butterfly gets its name from the patterns on its wings. On the sides of its lower wings, there are patterns resembling owl eyes, giving it a fierce appearance. In addition to its powerful intimidating presence, when it spreads its wings, the vibrant colors on the front are revealed, showcasing its magnificent beauty.
10. Pearl of the Orient Butterfly
The Oriental Pearl Butterfly, also known as the Green Birdwing Butterfly, is the national butterfly of Indonesia. This butterfly is a typical representative of the genus *Papilionidae*, which has 14 subspecies. Its forewings are black in the middle and surrounded by dark green, with four to five black spots along the edge. The leading edge of the hindwing, where it connects to the forewing, has an oval-shaped golden spot. The Oriental Pearl Butterfly is considered a rare and precious species within the *Papilionidae* genus.
The list of the world's ten most precious butterflies is compiled based on data from relevant websites, taking into account factors such as the butterflies' rarity, distribution range, and the collectible value of the specimens. This list is for reference only. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to comment and correct them at the end.
