There were also butterfly goddesses in ancient Mexico, where monarchs inspired a creation myth about one of the ways the gods chose to adorn the earth. Manos-Jones says that in ancient Greek, the word for butterfly is psyche , which also means soul. Early Christians believed that Christ started out as a caterpillar and underwent a transformation, or chrysalis, in the tomb before emerging in pure form as the butterfly. In Ireland in the 1600s, the law prohibited killing a white butterfly, which was believed to be the soul of a dead child. In some places, a black butterfly symbolizes death.
Butterflies are delicate but powerful creatures.
Maybe this is why people think it's so romantic to release butterflies at weddings and other events. Glassberg says a commercial market creates public demand, which creates poachers. Most people are not educated enough to avoid messing with Mother Nature. Ants, beetles, spiders, bees and flies were my world, subject to capture and scrutiny. Grass was carpeting, a pile of leaves was an armchair, mud pie was dessert and insects were guests at my party.