Subtropical Lady Vanessa carye

This butterfly is an overachiever when it comes to exploration. Found across South America from Colombia and Venezuela all the way down to Patagonia, this is impressive—but wait, there's more.

Populations of this lady have somehow colonized remote Pacific islands, including Easter Island and the far-flung Tuamotus, crossing thousands of miles of open ocean. How these delicate insects accomplished this dispersal remains a scientific mystery, but it's a masterclass in long-distance butterfly migration and one of nature's great puzzles.