Common Jay Graphium doson

Speed and beauty don't usually come in the same package, but this swallowtail manages both. Its pale blue, semi-transparent wing spots — formed by scale-free patches that let light pass straight through — catch the sun in a way that looks almost electrical in flight. Add a rapid, powerful wingbeat and it becomes one of the most striking insects in the tropical forests of Asia.

Like many swallowtails, it's an enthusiastic mud-puddler — gathering in groups at wet soil or stream edges to absorb dissolved minerals and salts essential for reproduction. It was formally described by the father-and-son entomologist team of Cajetan and Rudolf Felder, one of history's most productive insect-hunting duos.