In a mesmerizing display of pinning technique, @_insectopia showcases the delicate process of preserving the breathtaking Salamis parhassus, the Mother of Pearl Butterfly from Central Africa.

Though no longer alive, the butterfly’s purple-pink iridescence glows under the light, shifting into golden hues, a testament to its ethereal beauty.

@_insectopia is doing what’s called pinning, pinning a butterfly, and preserving it in all its glory. The butterfly is NOT alive when this process is done. The butterfly is from central Africa and is called Salamis parhassus, or in English: Mother of pearl butterfly. Very fitting name as the wings have a beautiful purple/pink, normally gold iridescence shining on its wings when the light hits it right.