Fergus Gill / 2020VISION / Chequered skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) nectaring on a thistle (Cirsium), Glasdrum Wood National Nature Reserve, near Oban, Argyll, Scotland, UK, June.

David Woodfall / Small Pearl bordered fritillary butterfly (Boloria selene) in grass, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve, Wales, UK, June.

Ross Hoddinott / Marbled White butterfly (Melanargia galathea) resting on grass, Dunsdon Nature Reserve, Devon, UK. July

Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) feeding on buddleia flowers, Carrbridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland, UK, August. Did you know? Tortoiseshell butterfly caterpillars feed on nettles, and live in gro...

Alex Hyde / Silver Studded Blue (Plebejus argus), Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta Valley, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Cynthia's Fritillary (Euphydryas cynthia) male photographed on a white background. Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone) profile portrait, Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy

Claudio Contreras / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) hibernating, Mariposa Monarca Special Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, January.

Claudio Contreras / Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) hibernating, Mariposa Monarca Special Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, January.

Paul D Stewart / Male Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea eutryphon / arion) collected in 1865. It is here surrounded by other extant UK blue butterfly species. The large Blue was first recorded as a British species in 17...

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) female 'Malui' walking through a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed in Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Repu...

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) female 'Malui' walking through a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed in Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Repu...

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) female 'Malui' walking through a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed in Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Repu...

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) female 'Malui' walking through a cloud of butterflies she has disturbed in Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve, Central African Repu...

Andy Sands / Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album) feeding on flower of Ice plant (Sedum) in garden, Hertfordshire, UK, September

Roger Powell / European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) courting a female by offering her a Small Copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas). Alentejo, Portugal, April.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio machaon britannicus) on hawkbit flower. Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk, June.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio machaon britannicus) on hawkbit flower. Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk, June.

Andy Sands / Clouded yellow butterfly (Colias crocea) On Wild sweet pea flower, Captive, UK, July

Kim Taylor / Stinging caterpillar, Costa Rica

Stephen Dalton / Indian Leaf Butterfly (Kalima paralekta) showing near-perfect leaf mimicry. India.

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) on Bramble (Rubus fructicosus) leaves, Gamlingay Wood, Cambridgeshire, England, UK, April, UK

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / RSPB research ecologist Chloe Hardman using sweep net to sample invertebrate populations, RSPB Hope Farm reserve, Cambridgeshire, England, UK, May. Model released. 2020VISION Book Plate.

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / RSPB research ecologist, Chloe Hardman, using sweep net to sample invertebrate populations at Hope Farm, Cambridgeshire, UK, May 2011, model released

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus), resting on flowering heather, Arne RSPB reserve, Dorset, England, UK September

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas) butterfly resting on Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Arne RSPB reserve, Dorset, England, UK, August

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large blue butterfly (Phengaris arion) resting on Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) flower, Collard Hill, Somerset, England, UK, June 2011

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large blue butterfly (Maculinea arion) on a Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) flower, Collard Hill, Somerset, England, UK, June 2011. Did you know? The large blue's life cycle is dependent on the...

Alex Hyde / Purple emperor butterfly (Apatura iris) male on English Oak (Quercus robur) leaf basking with wings open, UK, Captive.

Alex Hyde / Heath fritillary (Melitaea athalia) resting on scabious flower, Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, August.

LYNN M. STONE / Common buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) North Guilford, Connecticut, USA, August

LYNN M. STONE / Common buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) feeding on Ironweed (Vernonia altissima) flower, North Guilford, Connecticut, USA, August

Konrad Wothe / Cairns birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera priamus) male on fern leaf and Blue Mountain Swallowtail butterfly in flight, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia, October

Sven Zacek / Fritillary butterfly (Melitaea sp.) – either Heath or False Heath – at rest on a grass stem. Estonia, Europe, June.

Sven Zacek / Small Skipper Butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris) feeding on flowers. Estonia, Europe, June.

Konrad Wothe / Tropical Butterfly (Adepha) on a leaf with wings spread. Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Marbled white butterfly (Melanargia galathea) resting on thistle in front of machinery for Wetland habitat creation for the RSPB by Breheny Civil Engineers at Bowers Marsh RSPB Reserve, RSPB Greater T...

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Silver-studded blue butterfly (Plebejus argus), New Forest, Hampshire, England, UK, July

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Ringlet butterfly (Aphantopus hyperanthus) with wings closed, Somerset Levels, UK, July

Alex Hyde / Common Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon) resting on Meadow Clary (Salvia pratensis) flowers, on a white background. Nordtirol, Tirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, 1700 metres altitude, July.

Alex Hyde / Common Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon) resting on Meadow Clary (Salvia pratensis) flowers, on a white background. Nordtirol, Tirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, 1700 metres altitude, July.

Alex Hyde / Common Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio machaon) resting on Viper's Bugloss / Blueweed (Echium vulgare) in alpine meadow. Nordtirol, Tirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, 1700 metres altitude, July.

Alex Hyde / Common Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio machaon) resting on Viper's Bugloss / Blueweed (Echium vulgare) in alpine meadow. Nordtirol, Tirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, 1700 metres altitude, July.

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Marbled White Butterfly (Melanagria galathea) resting on Small Scabious (Scabiosa colombaria) flower, Badbury Rings, Dorset, UK, July. Did you know? The marbled white is actually a strikingly coloured...

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Silver-studded blue butterfly (Plebeius argus) well-worn male at rest on Bell heather (Erica cinerea) Minsmere RSPB reserve, Suffolk, UK, July

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Silver-studded blue butterfly (Plebeius argus) male at rest on Bell heather (Erica cinerea) Minsmere RSPB reserve, Suffolk, UK, July

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Silver-studded blue butterfly (Plebeius argus) at rest on plant, Minsmere RSPB reserve, Suffolk, UK, July. 2020VISION Book Plate.

Chris Gomersall / 2020VISION / Small copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) on Bell heather (Erica cinerea), Minsmere RSPB reserve, Suffolk, UK, July

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Small skipper butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris) resting on Ribbed meliot (Meliotus officinalis), Powerstock Common DWT reserve, Dorset, UK, June

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Marbled white butterfly (Melanagria galathea) resting on grass with spider's web at dawn, Powerstock Common DWT reserve, Dorset, UK, July

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Two Marbled white butterflies (Melanagria galathea) resting on Meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), Powerstock Common DWT reserve, Dorset, UK, July

Guy Edwardes / 2020VISION / Marbled White butterfly (Melanagria galathea) resting on Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) flower, Badbury Rings, Dorset, UK, July

Andy Sands / Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) perched with ringlet butterfly in bill. West Sussex, England, July. Highly commended, 'Animal Portraits' category, British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) com...

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Orange Tip butterfly {Anthocharis cardamines} male resting on Cuckooflower {Cardamine pratensis}, blue background, north Devon, UK, April. Did you know? Sadly butterflies are not as common as they onc...

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Orange Tip butterfly {Anthocharis cardamines} female resting on Cuckooflower {Cardamine pratensis}, north Devon, UK. April

B&S Draker / Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies (Battus philenor) pair mating close-up. Sinton, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend, Texas, USA, June.

B&S Draker / Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly (Battus philenor) pair mating. Sinton, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend, Texas, USA, June.

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Marsh fritillary butterfly {Euphydrayas aurinia} on Spotted heath orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata), Dunsdon, near Holsworthy, Devon, UK. June

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Marsh fritillary butterfly {Euphydrayas aurinia} backlit on plant stem, Dunsdon, near Holsworthy, Devon, UK. June. Did you know? Marsh fritillary butterflies lay 350 eggs in one batch.

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Ringlet butterfly {Aphantopus hyperantus} resting on yellow rattle flowers, Denmark Farm, Lampeter, Wales, UK. June

Rolf Nussbaumer / Black Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio polyxenes), female on Cowpen Daisy / Golden Crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides). Laredo, Webb County, Texas, USA, April.

Ross Hoddinott / Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea) resting on grass stem, Devon, UK July. Winner of Seasons category of the BWPA 2011 competition

Jouan & Rius / Nocturnal butterfly in rainforest, Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia

Florian Möllers / Common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)warming up, Berlin, Germany, July

Alex Hyde / Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) resting on thistle head. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps.

Alex Hyde / Peacock butterfly (Inachis io) and Small tortoiseshell butterflies (Aglais urticae) feeding on Buddleia flowers (Buddleia davidii), Derbyshire, UK, September.

Alex Hyde / Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) on thistle head in alpine meadow. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps.

Bernard Castelein / Orange Tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) at rest on Cuckoo-flower (Cardamine pratensis) Wuustwezel, Belgium, April

Bernard Castelein / Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) at rest on Cuckoo-flower (Cardamine pratensis) Wuustwezel, Belgium, April

Russell Cooper / Male Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) sunning on leaf, South London, UK, August

Floris van Breugel / Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) roosting in winter in dense groups, Southern California, USA

Colin Varndell / Female Orange tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) at rest on Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) blossom. Dorset, UK April

Andy Sands / Wood White butterfly (Leptidea sinapis) feeding on flower of Purple Milk-vetch, Captive, UK,

Russell Cooper / Mating pair of Small Blue Butterflies (Cupido minimus) on plant stem, Surrey, England, UK

Russell Cooper / Green Veined White Butterfly (Pieris napi) resting on the flowering stem of a native English Bluebell (Endymion nonscriptus) Banstead Woods. Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). North Downs Su...

David Kjaer / Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly (Boloria euphrosyne) at rest on Bracken with wings open, Bentley Wood, Wiltshire, England, UK

David Kjaer / Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly (Boloria euphrosyne) at rest on Bracken with wings closed, Bentley Wood, Wiltshire, England, UK

Colin Varndell / Marbled white butterfly (Melanargia galathea) at rest, Dorset, UK, June

Colin Varndell / Common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) at rest. Dorset, UK, May

Robert Thompson / Green-veined white butterfly (Pieris napi) resting on Bluebell flower, Clare Glen, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK, May

Stephen Dalton / Owl butterfly (Caligo eurilochus) sheltering from rain

Stephen Dalton / Scarce swallowtail butterfly (Iphiclides podalirius)

Stephen Dalton / Red admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) shortly after taking off from Aster flowers, UK, sequence 1/4

Stephen Dalton / Ithomid butterfly (Dircenna sp) in flight, controlled conditions

Stephen Dalton / Small copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) on Helianthus flower, UK

Stephen Dalton / Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) resting on Bugle flower (Ajuga sp) with wings open, UK

Niall Benvie / Peacock butterfly (Inachis io) on Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) Scotland, UK

Edwin Giesbers / Portrait of Small skipper butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris) at rest on flower, Lesbos, Greece

Stephen Dalton / Black veined white butterfly (Aporia crataegi) UK

Stephen Dalton / Waiter daggerwing butterfly (Marpesia coresia) in flight, controlled conditions

Stephen Dalton / Red admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) on Buddleia flowers, UK

Stephen Dalton / Common morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides) in flight, from Venezuelan cloudforest, controlled conditions

Stephen Dalton / Gulf Fritillary Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) flying near cactus. Everglades, Florida, USA

Stephen Dalton / Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx sp) in flight over Buddleia flowers, England, UK

Stephen Dalton / Peacock butterfly (Inachis io) hibernating on soft furnishings. England, UK.

Stephen Dalton / Tiger mimic queen butterfly (Lycorea halia) in flight Venezuela, South America