Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Be Blown Away by These 15 Images of Beautiful Butterflies

These shots from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show just why butterflies have floated into our hearts

Photographs selected by Quentin Nardi

yellow on orange
Soaring through the sky can be hard work, so why not land on a flower for a nectar break? Michael Schilling, Wyoming, 2023

Insects don’t have the best reputation when it comes to Earth’s creatures. They’ve been known to frighten children and ruin picnics, but there is an exception: butterflies. With vibrant colors and intricate patterns, these pollinators are appreciated for more than just their environmental impact. Butterflies signify rebirth, transformation and beauty. Songs and poems have been written about them. Houses and sanctuaries have been built to protect them, and you don’t have to go far to see them. Often, they’re right in your backyard—but you can get an even closer look here.

Transformation
Because of their start as caterpillars and subsequent metamorphosis, butterflies are symbols of rebirth and transformation. Marta Fiscus, Maryland, 2023
metamorphosis.
Butterflies start out as caterpillars and are transformed through a process called metamorphosis. Aaron Kuehn, North Carolina, 2023
Fine Art
Sunlight seeps through a window, reflecting on the camera lens, as a butterfly looks for an exit. Annemarie Jung, Luxembourg, 2024
The state of Arunachal Pradesh
The state of Arunachal Pradesh stands out as a remarkable hot spot for a diversity of butterflies, a haven for both endemic and migratory ones. Manaska Mukhopadhyay, India, 2022
Close up shot
There are about 17,500 known species of butterflies found on every continent except Antarctica. Marta Fiscus, Maryland, 2024
two weeks - 10 months
Depending on the species, the average butterfly lives between two weeks and ten months, during which it focuses on mating. Bonnie Masdeu, Florida, 2020
cerulean sky
A solitary butterfly, its delicate wings translucent against the backdrop of a cerulean sky, soars amid fluffy, ethereal clouds. Thein Htike Soe, Myanmar, 2024
crucial role in plant reproduction
They’re not just beautiful to look at—butterflies play a crucial role in plant reproduction and ecosystem health. Roger Hutchison, Texas, 2023
Pair
This pair knows that sharing is caring. Ruurd Visser, Belgium, 2023
teeny tiny butterfly
Their array of colors and often intricate patterns are reasons butterflies are often ranked high on lists of favorite insects. Krisztina Mácsai, Hungary, 2024
A wide-angle lens
A wide-angle lens helps distort the seemingly huge wings of this butterfly. Takuya Ishiguro, Japan, 2021
half a dozen monarch butterflie
About half a dozen monarch butterflies make a pit stop in the Deep South, possibly on their way to Mexico for the winter. Lisa Floyd, Alabama, 2023
black white and red
The wings of a black-and-white butterfly stretch wide to mimic the petals of the blooming red flower beneath. Robin Gutkin, New Jersey, 2023
Small butterfly
A small butterfly barely bends a blade of grass as it rests in a seemingly peaceful landscape. Manaska Mukhopadhyay, India, 2024

Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.

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