For the first time scientists from the Vietnam Museum of Nature saw thousands of queen butterflies (Stichophthalma howqua) in the forest of Sapa town, in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

The museum’s researcher, Dr. Vu Van Lien, said that during their survey in Ta Van commune, Sapa town, scientists saw thousands of queen butterflies.

“This species is unpopular. They usually appear in small numbers in forest. This is the first time we saw them in such a large number,” Dr. Lien said.

A member of the Amathusidae family, the Stichophthalma howqua is a very nice butterfly with a rich orange-yellow color. They have great size, thickness and presence.

“The discovery of thousands of jungle queen butterflies is greatly meaningful in terms of scientific research. Perhaps Ta Van has the abundant sources of food and favorable conditions for the development of this species,” Dr. Lien said.

Source: VNN

He said that scientists need to perform more search of this phenomenon because Cat Cat and Ta Van forest is only several kilometers from each other but jungle queen butterflies only appeared in Ta Van.