Butterflies are charismatic, colourful and cherished around the world. One of the most diverse groups of insects, with more than 19,000 described species, they inspire international organizations such as the North American Butterfly Association and the Xerces Society, as well as countless websites devoted to their identification, monitoring and natural history.
This fascination is so widespread that it shapes the science we do. In our research, we’ve shown that people are far more likely to photograph and report some butterfly species than others, simply because they’re more colourful and look more interesting. That collective enthusiasm has transformed butterflies into one of the best-studied insect groups on Earth.
