Dragon Tail Butterflies 

(via)

WHERE SHE FLIES, THE EARTH TREMBLES

I had high hopes for my 25 gram monster caterpillar from last year, and she did not dissapoint.

her largest child thus far has just 2 grams to go in order to reach her record

I’m so proud of her

Please tell me you named her Mothra

A fine warrior

Does Leptidea sinapis, the wood white butterfly, look like a good candidate for the type of butterfly Hawkmoth akumatizes?

(CC-BY gailhampshire, via Wikimedia Commons)

(CC-BY-SA Böhringer Friedrich, via Wikimedia Commons)

Looks like it.

I do wonder: are these like, normal butterflies, or magical butterflies? I mean he has to harvest them which points to them being normal, but we’ve never seen any dead ones, which points to them being magical. Also can he like, control them before he akumatizes them? Because if he can’t, then it’s weird how he can get them to land on his hand before he evilizes them. And can other Miraculous influence their namesake animal? Can the Ladybug Miraculous control Ladybugs? Can the Black Cat Miraculous control black cats? And would it only be black cats, or would other colors also work?

also interesting questions!

…given the particular reason I’m asking, though, their being magical constructs (which Mayura’s feathers definitely are) is sort of the opposite of helpful? like I want to make this harder and “must secretly acquire mundane butterflies” works better? also coheres better with Origins, though idkwtf that first transformation is

…though the type of butterfly might not much matter then? idk

Glasswinged butterflies are a South American species known for their transparent wings. They look fragile but can carry up to 40 times their own strength. The pink butterfly in the first picture is an Amazon variety that has a “blush” shade to its clear wings.