SIZE MATTERS: THE MAGELLAN BIRDWING

Meet one of the biggest butterflies in the Philippines

When people think of butterflies, they think of small and colorful creatures gliding along in nature. Really, it’s a bit of a picturesque image. So, butterflies aren’t usually thought of as being... large. People think of them as small insects, flitting about from flower to flower -- it’s a dainty image.

But then, you hear about a whole species of butterflies known for being one of the largest, and you find out that there is one subspecies local to the Philippines. Then, you start to think, “It can’t be that large!” because, let’s face it, nothing is large here aside from basketball players and Mcdonald’s BFF fries.

Surprise! This butterfly is indeed large and is called the Magellan birdwing.