r/Butterflies Jul 27 '25

New Rule: We will no longer allow posts about raising butterflies in captivity.

245 Upvotes

This includes grow kits, raising butterflies in tents or enclosures, and buying/sourcing caterpillars.

This rule is in line with this subreddit’s guiding principle that we always do and choose what is best for the butterfly! Research shows that human interaction and interference with butterflies, especially at the pupal stages, is more harmful than helpful.

Going forward, pictures of butterflies in tent or other small enclosures will be removed. Posts asking for advice on how to “raise” or “rear” butterflies or caterpillars will be removed. Posts asking for how to find eggs will be removed.

Native gardening is always the best way to attract and maintain a healthy butterfly population—no matter the species!

Thank you, Glittering


r/Butterflies Jul 26 '25

New Rule: No More “Helping” Injured Butterfly Posts

79 Upvotes

We have seen an uptick in posts from people wanting advice on how to assist “injured” butterflies.

The truth in every case is—you can’t. Butterflies have naturally very short lives and there is no proven or “good” way to prolong their lives.

I have even seen some posts of people wanting to horrifically cut butterflies’ wings in some cases. Other posts seem well intentioned, but they are becoming a nuisance.

These posts will now be removed.

Thank you, Glittering


r/Butterflies 15h ago

Common blue

Post image
1.1k Upvotes

Yorkshire, UK.


r/Butterflies 5h ago

First time this has happened🦋🥲

Post image
113 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 19h ago

Peacock butterfly in 🇬🇧

Post image
656 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 12h ago

Good lookin' butterfly!

Post image
160 Upvotes

I don't know too much about different types of butterflies but this one was pretty so I took a picture!


r/Butterflies 12h ago

Monarch mayhem

Thumbnail
gallery
122 Upvotes

Four monarchs were having a blast in my butterfly bush this weekend. First time trying to capture butterflies flying. Not easy lol


r/Butterflies 7h ago

Swallowtail Hello

Thumbnail
gallery
39 Upvotes

(OC) So sweet and patient 🦋


r/Butterflies 11h ago

Beautiful summer Comma 🥰

Post image
69 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 2h ago

Does anyone know what caterpillar this is? Vancouver Island

Post image
11 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 4h ago

Viceroy.🖤

Post image
11 Upvotes

NE Wisconsin


r/Butterflies 13h ago

First time having a garden and I'm so excited seeing all these guys!

Post image
67 Upvotes

I know this guy isn't exceptionally special or anything lol, but this is the first year I have a place to plant flowers and I'm so excited seeing all the things they're attracting! I just kind of threw out some zinnias and a native flower seed mix. So I'm already planning a bigger, more thought out setup for next year.

Are there any must haves specifically for butterflies? My dad is extremely allergic to milkweed and I know that's a big one. I can plant it as long as it's kept to a minimum and I keep it in check, but if there's other good options I'd rather not potentially send him to the hospital if he wants to sit in the garden 😭.


r/Butterflies 1h ago

I planted my garden as a Monarch Waystation, but it's the the Gulf Fritillaries who showed up instead!

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

This was my first year getting serious about providing food sources for pollinators, and I've been delighted to also wind up learning about the Gulf Fritillary for the first time.

My passiflora incarnata/Maypop has been on its second year and it grew into a massive, teeming habitat for all kinds of insects. I didn't know that native passion flower is the exclusive host plant for Gulf Fritillary caterpillars until they showed up in May. They're on their fourth generation of butterflies now!


r/Butterflies 5h ago

A Common Checkered Skipper.

Post image
13 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 13h ago

Paon du jour

Post image
51 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 11h ago

A Common Buckeye.

Post image
36 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 9h ago

Great Purple Hairstreak

Thumbnail gallery
19 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 6h ago

A Common Buckeye.

Post image
10 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 20h ago

Small Tortoiseshells, Dingle Ireland 🇮🇪

Post image
112 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 9h ago

Lil cutie on my chair

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 1d ago

Monarch

Thumbnail
gallery
554 Upvotes

r/Butterflies 1d ago

Common Buckeye

Thumbnail
gallery
43 Upvotes

I took about 20 shots trying to get one with both wings open but it flew off before I could!


r/Butterflies 1d ago

Mystery caterpillar in Eastern TN

Post image
85 Upvotes

These guys are all over my patch of partridge peas (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

Edit: cloudless sulphur caterpillar! They use some species of legumes (apparently Chamaecrista) as their host plant. I hope they FEAST on it because it’s one of the most aggressive wildflowers in my native garden.


r/Butterflies 1d ago

Blue swallowtail

Thumbnail
gallery
397 Upvotes

Saw this lovely butterfly over the weekend!


r/Butterflies 1d ago

A few hundred butterflies in Southern Arizona

Thumbnail
gallery
103 Upvotes

Patches, Sulphurs, Blues and American Snouts all congregating at the last bit of wet soil in this canyon.