When we say the word insect, something creepy comes to mind. But butterflies are creatures with a unique look. They are delicate, calm, beautiful and full of colours. These butterflies are in abundance around the world. According to a number, there are 17,500 known species of butterflies. Among this number are multiple species referred to as rare butterflies.
So what are the rare butterflies? How can we use them for commercial purpose. Lets go in depth.
Like other species, human activities have also affected butterflies. It has made most butterflies rare and marked them as endangered species. Butterflies are a fantastic source of pollination. Besides this, we can also reproduce the rare butterflies at a farm and use them for commercial purposes. You can supply these rare butterflies for lab experiments, exhibitions, and other purposes.
What Are The Rare Butterflies? A Specie Overview
There are multiple rare butterflies around the world. Here you go with a few of them. All of these butterflies are marked as the rare butterflies as they are found only in specific areas.
1. Miami Blue
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri |
| Specie | Thomasi |
| Location | Florida |
| Current Estimated Numbers | Less Then 100 Individuals |
Miami Blue is one of the rarest species of butterflies worldwide. It mainly originated in Florida. In 1980, the butterfly was almost considered extinct, but later a photographer found some individuals of these species in a natural park. Only less than 100 individuals of this butterfly are left in the world. This puts the existence of this specie under swear danger.
How Miami Blue Looks
It is a small butterfly with a size of 0.86 to 1 inch and bright blue wings like its name predicts. In females, it has a more grey part with blue edges. The butterfly chooses the plants as a safe place for its caterpillars. The butterfly lives around s life span of 20-30 days in normal conditions, and the healthy female lays around 20-100 eggs which help to continue the life cycle.
2. Lotis Blue
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Plebejus idas |
| Specie | Idas |
| Location | Sphagnum Bog, Pygmy, Mendocino CA. |
| Current Estimated Numbers | Almost Extinct |
Lotis Blue is one of the rare species available around the whole united states. Years back, on research, only 42 adult specimens were found. These butterflies are more likely to be found in coastal areas with deficient populations and can also live in acidic environments. Human activities have put the specie in danger. The available samples of the specie in the museums show the vast, unpredictable history of the specie.
How Lotis Blue Looks
The Lotis Blue butterfly is one of the tiny insect butterfly species. At different ages, the wings of the butterflies range around 0.6-1.3 inches. The wings of the butterfly have vibrant shades. The males’ wings have a violet-blue base and black borders, while the female butterfly has an orange base and a bluish upper area. The female lays the eggs in June and April, and the larva feeds over the leaves instantly. It takes a period of six weeks for the complete growth of the larva and become a whole butterfly.
3. Zebra Longwing
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Heliconius Charithonia |
| Specie | Charithonia |
| Location | Florida, Texas, Mexico, Central America |
| Current Estimated Numbers | Reare Specie |
When we talk about beautiful butterflies, Zebra Longwing is one of them. But it is a bit different from normal butterflies. They move in clusters to avoid predators. Besides this, they also have a different mode of nutrition. These butterflies eat the pollen. Eating the pollen makes them toxic.
How Zebra Longwing Looks
In an instant, the butterflies look like the zebra when seen with the naked eye. But besides the black and white strips, they also have red spots on the corners. The wings are pointed and come in a size of 2.8-3.9 inches. These butterflies reproduce like usual butterflies and produce offspring. The butterflies are safe compared to other species and are not in danger.
4. Monarch Butterfly
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Danaus Plexippus |
| Specie | D. plexippus |
| Location | North America |
| Current Estimated Numbers | 335, 000 |
Monarch Butterflies are one of the great species of butterflies. Seeing a Monarch butterfly is so rare that they say if you see one, it is a sign of luck and an indication that you are moving in the right direction. The butterflies are famous for the reason that they migrate in summer. This migration leads to the natural pollination of multiple plants, like cherries. Besides all this, these butterflies can hibernate and change their colour and form.
How Monarch Butterfly Looks
Monarch butterfly has a premium look. It has vibrant shades, which make it quite clearly visible. The butterfly’s wings combine bright orange and red with a bit of black base. The only difference you can spot between the male and the female butterfly is that the veins on the wings are a bit bigger and visible in males compared to females. The life span of each monarch butterfly is around 4-5 weeks.
5. Queen Alexendar’s Birdwing Butterfly
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Ornithoptera Alexandrae |
| Specie | Alexandrae |
| Location | Eastern Papua New Guinea |
| Current Estimated Numbers | Only at 100 sq km of Rainforest |
Queen Alexender is one of the most expensive butterflies around the world and is also one of the rare butterflies. It is the largest butterfly found in the forests of Guinea, endangered due to habitat destruction.
How Queen Alexendar’s Looks
These butterflies have brown and white wings at an early age and are converted to a black base with shiny blue-green colour at the age of maturity. The wings might vary in size from 9.8-11 inches during the whole life span. It weighs around 0.42 ounces and hence lays eggs on the plants like hibiscus, which can take its weight.
6. Island Marble Butterfly
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Euchloe Ausonides Insulana |
| Specie | E.Ausonides |
| Location | USA, Washington, San Juan Islands |
| Current Estimated Numbers | Fewer then 200 |
Island Marble is considered to be one of the rare butterflies around the world. It was considered to be the extinct rarest butterfly in the back years, but in 1998, zoologists rediscovered this butterfly and are working on the safe reproduction of the specie. Even after all the efforts, there are only 200 specimens of the specie recorded.
How Island Marble Looks
The butterfly comes in the colour red with more content of marble shade, which is why it is named the Island Marble. The wings of the butterflies range around 1.5 – 2 inches. This butterfly lives in a specific habitat on the islands.
7. Kaise-I-Hind
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Teinopalpus imperialis |
| Specie | Imperialis |
| Location | Himaliyan Mountains |
| Current Estimated Numbers | In Less Danger |
Kaise-I-Hind is found in the Himalayan mountains of India and hence is also known as the Emperor of India. These butterflies have scales on the wings which give out bright shades. These butterflies fly high, even above the trees, at a very high speed.
How Kaise-I-Hind Looks
The male and female butterflies of the specie almost look the same. The difference is that the female is more significant than the male butterflies. The wings of both have scales yet with a golden dusky colour. The female lays eggs in May to Jully in two strands, and the life cycle continues.
8. Palos Verdes Blue
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Glaucopsyche Lygdamus Palosverdesensis |
| Specie | G.Lygdamus |
| Location | California |
| Current Estimated Numbers | Around 200 |
Palos Verdes Blue is a species considered extinct years back, but scientists rediscovered and breaded them in artificial habitats. Almost 4000 species were released in the wild to save the specie from the list of endangered species, but the study shows that now there are only 200 left in the wild. This happens due to the loss of the deer weed plant, which is the primary habitat of these butterflies. However, there is still a backup; thousands of caterpillars are growing in the lab to save the specie.
How Palos Verdes Blue Looks
Palos Verdes is closely related to the Miami blue but is more significant in size. The colour of the butterflies is also the same; however, in the Palos Verdes, the male has more bright and silver. The specie is being conserved like other multiple species and is breaded artificially.
9. Schaus Swallowtail
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Papilio Aristodemus |
| Specie | P.Aristodemus |
| Location | Florida, Cuba, Hispaniola |
| Current Estimated Numbers | At Risk 800-1200 individual |
Schaus Swallowtail is considered as one of the endangered specie since 1984. The male butterflies of the specie patrol in the area at a height of 10 feet and keep an eye on the other butterflies entering the area. However these butterflies are capable to fight and also travel an area of the 5.8 miles. There has been a dramatic decline in the number of this specie due to mosquito controls and urbanization.
How Schaus Swallowtail Looks
This specie has a close resemblance to the Giant Swallowtail however it has minor red spot for the difference. The wings of the butterfly has rust patches and also comes with yellow makings. The antenna of the female butterfly is whole black while the male one comes with a yellow top. The wing spam is around 82-95 mm. The caterpillars grow on the hop trees and the life cycle continues.
10. Leona’s Little Blue
Quick Overview
| Scietific Name | Philotiella leona |
| Specie | Leona |
| Location | Oregon, Antelope Desert, USA |
| Current Estimated Numbers | 1000-2000 |
Leona, also known as the Leona Blue is considered to be the butterfly of the buckwheat. It was discovered in 1995. Now there is only a single population of the specie left in the Antelope Desert.
How Leona Little Blue Looks
Leona little blue has white base color and comes with an outline of the green color. The butterfly is small in size and spends most of its life span on its plant. It is considered to be endangered due to the continuous cultivation of the plants. Steps are being made to preserve the specie.
FAQ’s
- What is the most rare color of the butterfly?
Blue is considered to be the most rare color of the butterflies. The example of rare blue butterflies are Miami Blue.
- Which is the most rare butterfly?
Schaus Swallowtail is considered to be one of the most rare butterflies around the world.
- Which butterfly is capable to live in high altitude snowy mountains?
Kaise-I-Hind is the butterfly that lives in the mountains of Himalaya in India and Nepal. It is also known as the Emperor of India.
- How many species of the butterflies are endangered?
Almost the 28 species of the butterflies are endangered. Among them six are under swear danger and are almost near to extinct.
Wrapping Up Of What Are The Rare Butterflies?
Now we all know that what are the rare butterflies and also aware of the danger our natural habitat is facing. We need to conserve the environment to save the species. However the rare butterflies are quite expensive and a great business if you farm them. This will help you make your bread and butter and also will be your role to conserve the environment.
If you plan to establish a butterfly farm and also want to know that which specie would be the right choice for farming, visit our more blogs for information and also stay tuned for further blogs.
