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How to Find a Butterfly Picture

Where you look for butterfly pictures depends on what you need them for and how you will use the pictures. You can obtain anatomical drawings of butterflies from school textbooks, educational websites and encyclopedias. Use photo-sharing websites, nature sites and wallpaper collections to find aesthetically pleasing images. Check the copyright information for each picture you want to use. Be sure to comply with license requirements if you want to reuse the butterfly pictures in any way.

Instructions

- 1
  Search for butterfly pictures and drawings in free picture libraries online. An example is PublicDomainPictures.net. Look for pictures that are freely licensed or are available in the public domain. If you intend to reuse or reprint a butterfly image, choose only public domain pictures. Other files released under various free licenses may require conditions of use such as crediting the author and re-issuing the picture under the same license.
- 2
  Look in biology books and educational websites for scientific descriptions of butterflies. If you need pictures to examine the butterfly anatomy or life cycle, it is better to rely on scientific and academic sources than photography or art sites. Start with the biology section of your school's website.
- 3
  Visit the Butterflies and Moths of North America website for a comprehensive resource on butterflies. The project originated with the U.S. Geological Survey and is now hosted by the Big Sky Institute in Montana State University. Click "Image Gallery" on the menu to view user-contributed pictures.
- 4
  Go to butterfly specimen websites. These sites sell preserved specimens of real butterflies. The pictures of these framed specimens are often clear and fairly detailed. Use these when you need pictures of whole butterflies without anatomical details.

Photography