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Top 5 Rarest Butterflies

       Hello! Today I'm going to show you 5 of the rarest butterflies in the world. 

       1. Prepona praeneste, or The Jeweled Butterfly
       
       This butterfly is found throughout South America. It is very sturdily built and is a powerful flyer. The genus Prepona feeds on animal dung and rotting fruit. This butterfly generally stays up in the canopy of the jungle, which is one of the reasons why it is so rare. Another factor is the fact that the underside of the butterfly is made up of varying shades of grey and brown which makes it hard to see if it has landed on a plant or fruit.

       2. Papilio chikae or the Luzon Swallowtail

       This is a very pretty butterfly found in southeastern Asia and Australia. There are only a few pockets of this butterfly left in the wild. It is listed in CITES which prohibits the international trade of the butterfly. It was first found in 1965 by a man named Igarashi.

       3. Teinopalpus aureus or the Golden Kaiser I-hind

       Teinopalpus aureus, also known as The Golden Kaiser I-hind, is found in China and some regions of Vietnam. This genus is listed as a protected species but is not endangered. The female is rarer and bigger than the male. The biggest factor in the decline of this species is the deforestation of a few of the butterfly's main regions in China.


       4. Papilio homerus or the Jamaican Swallowtail
       This butterfly is the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere growing to lengths of over 6 inches. The butterfly is endangered and is only found in two small sections of Jamaica. This butterfly is also featured on the Jamaican 1,000 dollar bill and has been on numerous stamps in the country. The males of the Jamaican Swallowtail are very territorial and when other males come into their region, they will fight them. These fights often leave the looser with substantial damage.


       5. Bhutanitis lidderdalii or the Bhutan Glory
       
       I would have to say that this is one of my top five favorite butterflies. Its range includes southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Bhutan, which is where the genus gets its name. This butterfly flies at very high altitudes ranging from 7,000 to 9,000 feet. They are very hard to catch, even though they have a vibrant red spot on their hind wing, because the rest of the wing camouflages quite well with their surroundings.

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