Northern Pearly-eye Lethe anthedon

Most butterflies are sun worshippers, but this one breaks the rules. It thrives in deep, shaded woodland, preferring the cool half-light beneath a forest canopy where few other butterflies venture. Rather than sipping nectar like a conventional butterfly, it seeks out fermenting tree sap, rotting fruit, and animal dung — a resourceful, if unromantic, diet.

The large, pearlescent eyespots on its underwings give it both its common name and a practical defense: birds tend to strike at false eyes rather than vital body parts, buying the butterfly a chance to escape. Often active in late afternoon when the forest quiets down, this is a subtle, understated species — easy to miss, genuinely rewarding when you stop and look.