Winged Beauties : Butterflies & Moths

Starting from the basics - hope to build up from here .

Butterflies

• They have thin antennae with club-shape ends.
• Butterflies are mostly active during the day.
• Some butterfly species have up to 12 lifecycle's a year. These tend occur in spring and summer when there is more daylight.
• The adult stage usually lasts two to three weeks.
• They have slender, smooth abdomens and fine scales.

Belize - Birds & Butterflies

The above Bird and Butterfly stamp set is a lovely collectible and the one thing i like most of it are the butterflies are quiet clear and colorful - presented so well on a white background.

Moths 

• Moths either have feathery antennae, or filamentous and are unclubbed.
• Many have a 'frenulum' or filament arising from the hind wing that couples with barbs on the forewing, that butterflies lack.
• Most species of moth are active at night.
• Moth caterpillars generally spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into pupae.
• They tend to have stout and furry bodies, as well as larger scales on their wings.

Switzerland 1950- 57 Insects & Butterflies

The Swiss Insects and Butterflies stamps from early and mid 1950s - for PRO JUVENTUTE , Charity stamps "for the Children" . A lovely set and with good vibrant colors.

These beautiful winged  visitors in our gardens - hide a rainbow of colors in them and add to the color of a summer day. Butterflies visible in the bright afternoon moving on from flower to flower .

A stamp set which is highly collectible are the Belize Butterflies 1974 - they are beautiful and have much detail and over the years have appreciated in catalogue and market price - i had some difficulty in getting all the values(except overprints) - but the time taken was worthwhile(especially the 35c stamp ) .

at London Zoo

In the next blogs i  will try to get in details - of other good sets which can enhance a thematic collectors interest in these winged beauties on stamps.