Hubei University Butterfly Museum

Hubei University Butterfly Museum

The Hubei University Butterfly Museum showcases nearly a thousand species of beautiful and rare butterflies from China and abroad, as well as other fascinating insects. It is truly a microcosm of the natural insect world.

As you step into the exhibition hall of the butterfly museum, the first thing that catches your eye is an exquisite butterfly wing painting—a peacock image made from butterfly wings. It is understood that this butterfly wing painting is the work of Mr. Zhou Shigen, an experimentalist from the School of Life Sciences at Hubei University. The more than 200 butterfly specimens adorning the walls of the exhibition hall were mostly created under the guidance of Mr. Zhou and donated to the Hubei University Archives by students from the School of Life Sciences. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the frames used for these butterfly specimens are all repurposed from wall clocks, with the clock faces removed and the casings repurposed as picture frames.

Most of the butterfly specimens in the exhibition hall were collected by teachers and students from the School of Life Sciences at Hubei University, while some were obtained through exchanges with international associations.

The most numerous species of butterflies in this exhibition hall belong to the Papilionidae family, also known as swallowtail butterflies. The Papilionidae family is home to the greatest variety of beautiful butterflies in the world, with approximately 600 known species globally. They are predominantly adorned with striking colors such as red, yellow, blue, and black, making them one of the most beloved butterfly families.

The Broad-tailed Swallowtail is the most distinctive butterfly in China. Its broad twin tails feature two supporting veins, a unique characteristic not found in any other butterfly species worldwide. The Broad-tailed Swallowtail is only found in China, and its larvae feed on the national first-class protected plant, the Dove Tree. With its dignified and elegant posture and graceful flight, it aligns well with the aesthetic preferences of most Chinese people, which is why it is also considered China’s national butterfly.

Japan’s national butterfly is the Great Purple Emperor, named for its coloration and patterns that resemble the traditional Japanese kimono. Malaysia’s national butterfly is the Red Lacewing, widely recognized as one of the most uniquely beautiful butterflies in the world.

The world’s largest swallowtail butterfly is the Birdwing butterfly, native to Indonesia. When discovered by explorers last century, it had to be shot down with a gun to be obtained. The largest individuals of the Birdwing butterfly have a wingspan of over 28 centimeters. A species exhibited in the butterfly museum, the Emperor Birdwing, is closely related to the Birdwing and is one of the largest butterflies in the world.

The largest butterfly in China is the Yellow Coster, with a maximum wingspan of up to 20 centimeters. The specimen in the butterfly museum is a male, which is quite rare. The Yellow Coster is also one of China’s most beautiful butterflies, with wings that shimmer golden as it soars above pristine forests. This species is unafraid of wind and rain, often flying even during rainfall, and it prefers to glide and dance during dawn and dusk.