Exotic Butterfly Art

Butterflies are beautiful insects that have a very short life span. Butterflies belong to a family called papilionoidea. This term was derived from the Latin word "papilion" which means butterfly. There are four stages in the life cycle of a butterfly – egg, larva, pupa and butterfly. Studies in entomology show that there are approximately 14,750 butterfly species available. One of the most beautiful butterfly species is the exotic butterfly. There are around 20,000 butterflies that are classified as exotic butterflies. These butterflies are preserved after they die. Are you not curious to know about it?

What is Exotic Butterfly Art?

An artwork that is in vogue is the exotic butterfly art. The dead exotic butterflies are preserved and mounted on frames and exhibited as curios in homes and offices. They are also given as corporate and wedding gifts. The dead butterflies belonging to this species are collected and preserved in airtight and crystal clear acrylic displays. They are mounted on pegs and later framed. This is known as exotic butterfly art.

This art is not only time-consuming but also requires immense patience. Another thing that is noteworthy about this art is, these exotic butterfly art frames are never mass-produced. Artisans using techniques that have been handed to them by their forefathers to handcraft these art frames. Each frame of the butterfly art is a unique piece. Most of the frames are made as per the requirement.

How are the Exotic Butterflies Collected?

Due to the destruction of the rain forests and other natural habitats there is a decline in the population of these magical insects. To encounter, this there are many butterfly farms that breed exotic butterflies. Most of these butterfly farms are commercialized.

The artisans who make exotic butterfly art do not kill the butterfly. Instead, they purchase butterflies from the exotic butterfly farm. Many artisans cultivate butterflies in their own plantations. The life cycle of the butterflies are approximately 30 days. When they die, they are collected and preserved.

Those artists who do not have the facility of cultivating their own butterflies purchase the dead insects from the butterfly farm. The butterfly farms make an extra income by selling the dead butterflies to the exotic butterfly artists. The farm workers gather the dead butterflies and wrap it carefully in paper bags before shipping.

Mounting of the Exotic Butterfly Art

Mounting an exotic butterfly on a frame is a skillful and tedious process. It is a slow and a long process, which requires a skill and craftsmanship. The process of mounting starts once the size of the frame is decided. The artist knows accurately how many butterflies are required for each frame size. The artisan re-hydrates the dead butterflies using a special process. After re-hydration, the wings of the exotic butterflies are spread and mounted on tiny pegs. This is a lengthy process and should be done carefully. The butterflies are arranged in a flight-like position. The next step is to preserve the butterfly art in acrylic boxes or panels. They are preserved for lifetime.

To summarize, the exotic butterfly art is an art that is gaining popularity.The butterflies that are used are the real butterflies. For some, making exotic butterfly art is a passion, while for some, it is a hobby. However, there are people who make a living out of this butterfly art. A point worth mentioning is that, the artists do not kill a butterfly or use the endangered species for their artwork. They use only those butterflies that have completed their life cycle, to make a wonderful and a unique exotic butterfly art.