Ross Hoddinott / Grizzled skipper butterfly {Pyrgus malvae}, Dorset. UK

Ross Hoddinott / Marsh fritillary {Euphydryas aurinia} butterfly resting on grass, Vealand fram {Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserve} near Holsworthy, Devon. UK

Ross Hoddinott / Marbled white butterfly {Melanargia galathea} underside, Dunsdon Devon Wildlife Trust reserve near Holsworthy, Devon. UK

Rolf Nussbaumer / Queen butterfly {Danaus gilippus} pair mating on Golden Crownbeard flower (Verbesina encelioides) Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Andy Sands / Large Copper Butterfly (Lucaena dispar) Wings open with proboscis fully extended drinking moisture from leaf. UK. Captive.

Andy Sands / Large Copper Butterfly (Lucaena dispar) Wings closed on reed. UK. Captive.

Andy Sands / Orange Tip (Anthocaris cardamines) Male at rest on Cuckoo flower / Lady's smock, West Sussex, UK April

Andy Sands / Brimstone butterfly (Goneopteryx rhamni) Male at rest on Primrose flower, West Sussex, UK April

Hans Christoph Kappel / Map butterfly (Araschnia levana) Germany

Nick Garbutt / Morpho butterfly {Morpho achilles} displaying in rainforest understorey, nr Napo river, Amazonia, Ecuador

Bernard Castelein / Silver studded blue butterflies {Plebejus argus} Kelmthoutse Heide, Belgium

Jose B. Ruiz / Swallowtail butterfly {Papilio machaon} with wings spread, Spain.

Jose B. Ruiz / Swallowtail butterfly {Papilio machaon} caterpillar, on plant, Spain.

Andy Sands / Purple Hairstreak {Quercusia quercus} male on Oak leaf with wings partially open, Captive, UK

Hans Christoph Kappel / Eastern festoon butterfly flying (Allancastria cerisyi)

Hans Christoph Kappel / Brown Hairstreak Butterfly (Thecla betulae) Germany

Bernard Castelein / Silver studded blue butterfly {Plebejus argus} Kalmthoutse Heide, Belgium

Andy Sands / Duke of Burgundy butterfly {Hamearis lucina} basking with wings open on Cowslip, Captive, UK.

Andy Sands / Brown Hairstreak {Thecla betulae} male basking with wings open, captive, UK.

Andy Sands / Brown Hairstreak {Thecla betulae} female basking with wings open, Captive, UK.

Andy Sands / Brown Hairstreak {Thecla betulae} sitting on Backthorn leaf with wings closed, Captive, UK.

Ross Hoddinott / Small pearl bordered fritllary (Boloria selene) on Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) UK

Kim Taylor / Peacock butterfly (Inachis io) on Buddleia. UK

Ross Hoddinott / Marbled white butterfly (Melanargia galathea) backlit, Devon, UK

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Maack's swallowtail butterfly {Papilio maackii} Asia

Ross Hoddinott / Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) butterfly resting, wings back-lit. Devon, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) butterfly resting. Devon, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) butterfly resting. Devon, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) butterfly resting. Devon, UK

Adrian Davies / Male Brimstone butterfly {Gonepteryx rhamni) on March thistle UK, Europe

Paul Hobson / Silver washed fritillary {Argynnis paphia} chrysalis / pupa, UK.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / White peacock butterfly {Anartia jatrophae} resting on flower. USA.

Doug Wechsler / Tiger swallowtail butterfly {Papilio glaucus} female resting on trumpetweed. USA.

Hans Christoph Kappel / Spotted fritillary butterfly {Melitaea didyma} Germany.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Morpho butterfly {Morpho deidamia} Amazonia, Brazil

Pete Oxford / Tiger butterfly {Tithorea harmonia} resting. Amazon, Ecuador. Captive.

Colin Varndell / Marsh fritillary butterfly {Euphydryas aurinia} on thistle. UK.

Doug Wechsler / Butterfly {Dynastor darius} caterpillar on bromeliad leaf. Costa Rica.

Pete Oxford / Tiger butterfly {Tithorea harmonia} chrysalids on leaf stem. Amazon, Ecuador

Chris Packham / Marbled white butterfly {Melanargia galathea} camouflaged in rocks, UK.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Butterfly {Heliconius erato amazona} Serra dos Carajas, Brazil

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Swarm of {Pieris} butterflies beside Cauaburi river, Amazonia, Brazil

Pete Oxford / Zavaleta glasswing butterfly {Godyris zavaleta} Amazon, Ecuador. Captive

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Blue grecian butterfly sucking water from soil {Heliconius wallacei} Brazil

Hans Christoph Kappel / Chalkhill blue butterfly {Polyommatus coridon} resting. Germany.

Bengt Lundberg / Butterfly {Papilio demoleus} on flower, Thailand

Hans Christoph Kappel / Scarce fritillary butterfly {Euphydryas maturna} on bracken. Germany.

David Kjaer / Silver washed fritillary {Argynnis paphia} on flower. UK.

Colin Varndell / Brimstone butterfly {Goneopteryx rhamni} resting on thistle. UK.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Gregarious caterpillars of Morpho butterfly {Morpho hercules} Brazil

Hans Christoph Kappel / Nickerl's fritillary butterfly {Mellicta aurelia} resting. Germany.

Robin Chittenden / Marbled white butterfly {Melanargia galathea} on Pyramidal orchid {Anacamptis pyramidalis}

Gabriel Rojo / Flambeau butterfly on flower {Dryas iulia} Ibera marshes, Argentina

Doug Wechsler / Cracker butterfly camouflaged on bark {Hamadryas sp} Costa Rica

Steven David Miller / Australian birdwing butterfly {Ornithoptera priamus} male on flower. Captive. Australia.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Lesser marbled fritillary butterfly {Brenthis ino} resting.,France.

Doug Wechsler / Butterfly {Dynastor darius} chrysalis / pupa on leaf stem. Costa Rica.

Kim Taylor / Clouded yellow butterfly {Colias croceus} female feeding on scabious UK.

Kim Taylor / Clouded yellow butterfly {Colias croceus} female feeding on yarrow UK.

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar admiral butterfly in flight, Europe.

Hans Christoph Kappel / Orange Tip butterfly in flight, Germany (Anthocharis cardamines)

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar Admiral butterfly flying (Limenitis populi) captive, Europe.

Nick Garbutt / Morpho butterfly {Morpho achilles} Napo River, Amazon Basin, Ecuador

Kim Taylor / Large white / Cabbage white butterfly {Pieris brassicae} feeding on spear thistle, England

Kim Taylor / Large white / Cabbage white butterfly {Pieris brassicae} female flies from broccoli flower UK.

Kim Taylor / Chalkhill Blue butterfly (Polyommatus coridon) on Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) UK

Kim Taylor / Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album) feeding on ripe blackberries, UK.

Kim Taylor / Close-up of eye detail on wing of Morpho Butterfly (Morpho didius)

Kim Taylor / Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea) on Field Scabious, Dorset, UK.

Kim Taylor / European Map Butterfly (Araschnia levana) spring colour form, UK. Captive.

Kim Taylor / Marbled White Butterfly (Melanargia galathea) on Field Scabious. Dorset, UK.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Gulf fritillary butterfly, male emerged from chrysalis {Agraulis vanillae} Texas, USA.

Mark Payne-Gill / Red admiral butterfly feeding on ripe pears {Vanessa atalanta} England, UK, Europe

Hans Christoph Kappel / Map Butterfly laying eggs on nettle. Life cycle sequence 2/5

Hans Christoph Kappel / Scarce Swallowtail butterfly in flight. Germany Captive

Hans Christoph Kappel / Lesser Purple Emperor butterfly.

Ross Hoddinott / Green veined white butterfly {Pieris napi} on Ladies smock {Cardamine pratensis} UK Cornwal

Hans Christoph Kappel / Scarce Swallowtail butterfly (Iphiclides podalirius) Europe

David Tipling / Large blue butterfly (Phengaris arion), female. Re-introduction programme. Somerset, England, UK, Europe

LYNN M. STONE / Black swallowtail butterfly portrait {Papilio polyxenes} North Illinois, USA

Duncan Mcewan / Chequered skipper butterfly. Scotland

Hans Christoph Kappel / Silver washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia) in flight. Germany, Europe

Hans Christoph Kappel / Map Butterfly (Araschnia levana) eggs on leaf with larvae beginning to hatch. Life cycle sequence

Pete Oxford / Clear wing butterfly (Cithaerias pireta), Ecuador C Amazon cloud forest

Pete Oxford / Clear winged butterflies (Cithaerias pireta) mating, Ecuador Yasuni NP

Bristol City Museum / Queen Alexandra's birdwing butterfly {Ornithoptera alexandrae} museum specimens, male top, female below. World's largest butterfly, wing span 1 foot / 30 cms. Endangered species occurs in Papua New Gu...

George McCarthy / Silver spotted skipper butterfly, Surrey, England

Rolf Nussbaumer / Small tortoiseshell butterfly emerging from pupa {Aglais urticae} Switzerland.

Pete Oxford / Flambeau butterfly (Dryas iulia). Amazon, Ecuador, South America

Rolf Nussbaumer / Peacock butterfly emerging from pupa {Inachis io} Switzerland

Rolf Nussbaumer / Red admiral butterfly {Vanessa atalanta} on Mexican hat flower, Texas, USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Monarch butterfly just emerged from chrysalis {Danaus plexippus} Texas, USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Little yellow butterfly pair {Eurema lisa} Texas, USA

Pete Oxford / Tiger butterfly pupa {Tithorea harmonia} Amazonia, Ecuador