RSS

Butterfly

Find out everything there is to know about butterflies and stay updated on the latest news with comprehensive articles, interactive features and butterfly pictures at LiveScience.com. Learn more about these fascinating insects as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about butterflies.

Related Topics: Birds, Insects, Biodiversity

Latest Updates

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on a milkweed plant flower in Ontario, Canada.

Monarch butterflies teetering ‘on the edge of collapse,’ added to endangered species list

By Stephanie Pappas published 22 July 22

The migratory monarch is threatened by habitat loss, pesticide and herbicide use, and climate change.

What's the difference between a moth and a butterfly?

By Tia Ghose published 19 May 22

Though related, there are key differences between them.

Parantica cleona, an Indonesian butterfly, contemplates its next meal.

Milkweed butterflies tear open caterpillars and drink them alive

By Mindy Weisberger published 11 September 21

These ghastly meals provide male butterflies with chemicals that they use to produce mating pheromones, which female butterflies find irresistible.

Butterflies Sip Turtle Tears in Stunning Video

By Mindy Weisberger published 18 July 18

In the Amazon, when turtles weep, butterflies drink.

The Oldest Butterflies on Earth Had No Flowers to Feed On

By Laura Geggel published 10 January 18

Butterflies and moths are so ancient, they lived before the existence of flowers, a new study finds.

In Photos: Beautiful Butterflies of the American Deserts

By Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher published 25 March 17

By mid-February in the three great hot and dry deserts of the American West, wildflowers turn stark desert landscapes into a sea of color.

Freeloading Butterflies Get Away with Theft

By Tia Ghose published 27 June 16

Stunning new pictures reveal butterfly thieves stealing ant goo in the Amazon forest.

Photos: Butterflies Snag Goo from Unwitting Ants

By Live Science Staff published 27 June 16

Stunning new pictures reveal kleptomaniac butterflies in the Amazon forest stealing ant goo.

6 Spectacular Species Named for David Attenborough

By Denise Chow published 8 May 16

From a rare Amazonian butterfly to a ghost shrimp to a pygmy locust, here are 6 spectacular species that are named for David Attenborough.

A butterfly rests on a tree, camouflaging itself against the surface.

Photos: A Strange Parasitic Plant in the Amazon

By Tia Ghose published 30 December 15

An ant, a caterpillar, and a parasitic plant all interact in a strange web of mutual benefit in the Amazon jungle, new research suggests.

parasitic bulb being eaten by a caterpillar

Gorgeous Images Reveal Parasitic Plant in 3-Way Symbiotic Relationship

By Tia Ghose published 30 December 15

An ant, a caterpillar, and a parasitic plant all interact in a strange web of mutual benefit in the Amazon jungle, new research suggests.

The newly discovered Attenborough butterfly.

Sir Butterfly! New Species Named for David Attenborough

By Elizabeth Palermo published 2 December 15

The striking new species is the first butterfly to be named for the British broadcaster.

In Photos: The Spectacular Migration of Monarch Butterflies

By Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher published 18 October 15

Many species of birds and even mammals, such as the great whales, travel thousands of miles to over-winter in warmer climates. Check out these photos of one of the most spectacular migrations.

Nature's GMOs: Parasites Alter Butterfly Genomes Using Viruses

By Charles Q. Choi published 18 September 15

Thirsty Butterflies Disappearing from the UK

By Elizabeth Goldbaum published 10 August 15

Some butterfly species could disappear from southern Britain in the next 35 years if climate change and habitat loss continue, according to new research.

Photos: Delicate, Disappearing Butterflies of Southern Britain

By Elizabeth Goldbaum published 10 August 15

Photos of butterflies that will likely go extinct by 2050 in southern Britain if their habitats aren't preserved and droughts worsen.

Animal Sex: How Butterflies Do It

By Joseph Castro published 2 August 15

When it comes to sex, are butterflies as nurturing and gentle as they appear to be, or is there a more aggressive side to their mating?

Monarch Butterflies Considered for Endangered Species Status

By Megan Gannon published 2 January 15

The monarch butterfly, once common across the United States, could soon end up on the Endangered Species List.

Colorful Butterfly Wings Inspire Counterfeit-Proof Tech

By Elizabeth Palermo published 6 October 14

To stop identity thieves and counterfeiters, a group of researchers is looking for inspiration from an unlikely source: butterflies.

Cause of Mysterious Butterfly-Shaped Radar Blob Found

By Becky Oskin published 23 September 14

A mysterious butterfly-shaped cloud spotted over St. Louis last week was built from actual butterflies.