Humans have a long-held fascination with butterflies. Their story is one that we can connect with, a story of rebirth, hope, and natural beauty. Our connection exists throughout time and in many different cultures. 

Lepidoptera, the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths, first appeared in the fossil record in the late Triassic period, around 200 million years ago, but bloomed alongside the flowering plants in the mid-Cretaceous, around 100 million years later. In the 200,000 years that modern humans have been around, Lepidoptera have existed in mostly the same basic form. 

The most common belief held about Lepidoptera, in some form or another, is that they are amalgamations of the soul. Many believe that their life cycles coincide with ours, only that the caterpillar is the human form in life and the butterfly is the human form in death.  

The many variations of this belief differ depending on where you are. In Ireland some believed that white butterflies were the souls of children that had passed. It was even illegal to kill a white butterfly until the 17th century. Others believe that butterflies are souls in purgatory.  

Native American legends say that butterflies can travel between the spirit worlds carrying messages and this belief can be found in other cultures too. 

Certain species have their own messages and cultural associations. The mourning cloak butterfly emerges from hibernation to mate in the early spring and is therefore seen as a harbinger of spring In the Ozark mountains of the US. In Appalachia, being able to count the number of spots on a fritillary’s wings might tell you the amount of money you were set to receive.  

The red admiral is associated with evil and death. Light and brightly coloured butterflies like white and yellow bring luck and good fortune, while black and brown signify challenging times ahead.

Psyche, as Aristotle named the butterflies, is also the name of the Greek goddess of the soul and there are many pieces of artwork displaying Psyche with butterfly wings or butterflies around her.  

More recently, they have become a symbol of the fight against climate change and the threats that it encompasses. Their short life cycles and their vulnerability to varying climate, as well as their beauty make them a prudent symbol.  

Butterflies are intertwined through the evolution of humans and our cultures. They signify hope, new beginnings and embracing transformation, ideas that are surely comforting in the face of the climate crisis.  

What do butterflies mean to you? 

 

(All images featured are in the public domain).